SMOKE-CURING FOOD
Treated Timber Danger (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 29. The impregnation of timber with poisonous chemicals for protection against rot and insect attack could result in the contamination of bacon and smoked fish cured in natural wood smoke, said the annual report of the D.S.I.R. tabled in the House of Representatives. More than half of the timber treated with chemicals in New Zealand in 1957-58 was impregnated with preservatives containing arsenic, a volatile element that was a danger if evolved in smoke during combustion. Investigations made by the Dominion Laboratory showed that as much as 22 per cent, of the arsenic content in the shavings used in smoke-curing bacon and fish was volatilised during combustion. Fish hung in the combustion chamber close to the fire absorbed as much as 25 parts per million of arsenic.
“It is evident that the use of sawdust or shavings from arsenictreated timber in smoke-curing will cause 'arsenic deposition' in food and a consequent toxicity hazard.
‘The Health Department has been advised, and is taking steps to ensure that arsenic-treated timber is not used in the smokecuring of foodstuffs,” the report said.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19600730.2.65
Bibliographic details
Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29270, 30 July 1960, Page 7
Word Count
190SMOKE-CURING FOOD Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29270, 30 July 1960, Page 7
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.