Preservative Ban Of “Doubtful” Value

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32214, 5 February 1970, Page 10

Preservative Ban Of “Doubtful” Value

It was very doubtful whether a ban on the use of sulphur dioxide as a preservative in sausages and mincemeat would be of any benefit to the consumer, Mr B. R. Shackel, a member of the Council of the New Zealand Meat Retailers’ Federation, said in Christchurch yesterday. He was commenting on the Health Department’s proposal to outlaw the preservative.

Mr Shackel said that sulphur dioxide reduced bacteriological action in uncooked meat. Without it supermarkets, grocers and large manufacturers of sausages would have a great problem on their hands. Those butchers who made their own sausages would not be as greatly The department appeared to be ignoring the fact that the sausage sold in New Zealand and in Australia was; different from that sold in! Europe and the United States, where it was partly cooked and did not require the preservative. If sulphur dioxide was banned the only way to handle sausages would be to cook them partly or freeze them. “The conventional sausage as we know it will disappear from the market if sulphur dioxide is not used. Without preservative the sausage will have a reduced shelf-life and will lose its pleasing appearance and become dull and unattractive, to say nothing of its becoming a health hazard,” he said. “Any move to improve health standards is welcomed

by us, but I doubt if this can result in any improvement,”: he said.

The department’s advisory officer for food standards in Wellington (Mr H. W. Carter) said yesterday that sulphur dioxide could hide, to some extent, the effects of faulty hygiene or poor refrigeration. The department considered that if the meat used in sausages and mincement was fresh and kept in refrigerated and hygienic conditions, there was no need to have a preservative in them. Mr Carter said he doubted whether the banning of preservative would increase the price of sausages. The department’s recommendations were to be discussed with representatives of the meat trade, but no date had been fixed for the resumption of talks which began in November.