Unhygienic Carriage Of Fish Does Little Harm

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30712, 30 March 1965, Page 18

Unhygienic Carriage Of Fish Does Little Harm

Almost no harm could come to human beings from fish cooked and eaten after being carried even in unhygienic cases, according to a British Health Department study, said Mr M. L. Newman, managing director of the fish wholesaling firm of P. Feron and Son, Ltd. Mr Newman was commenting on a letter to the editor of “The Press” criticising the cases used to transport fish. Signed by R. Reardon the letter said:

“I read with interest of the remarks of two Timaru fishermen at a recent application to the Transport Licensing Authority of the loss per pound of certain varieties of fish. Ido not think it is the cartage methods, but the system of packaging that is the cause of the deterioration of fish. The same cases are used week after week, and in the summer the moisture from the fish becomes soaked into the timber. I think it is time that this method of conveying food for human consumption be thoroughly investigated. What would the public reaction be if our meat, milk and bread were handled in similar conditions.” Concern Justified Mr Newman said the correspondent was justified in his concern that fish was apparently transported under unhygienic conditions. “The British Health Department has undertaken extensive studies of just this problem and come to some rather startling conclusions,” he said. “They are that, unless the fish is eaten raw, practically no harm can come to human beings from any possible infection from even unhygienic cases, and that as people in Britain, as in New Zealand, always cook their fish, any contaminating bacteria are killed in the cooking and so do not affect the consumer.

“This is why there has never been a known case of food poisoning from unprepared fish. The only recorded cases of food poisoning have resulted from bacteria in prepared fish—canned, potted, etc.

“All over the world people in the industry seek a different method of transporting fish because if there is de-

terioration, the deteriorated portion of the fish must be cut away, increasing the cost, and also because smelly fish cases are just bad public relations. We in New Zealand have for some time been actively seeking a suitable substitute for the wooden cases, but in each instance the extra cost has been such that it would have meant an increase in the price of fish which is not warranted.

“Perhaps it may solace Mr Reardon to appreciate that the aroma from used fish cases is full of vitamins," said Mr Newman.