CHILLED BEEF TRADE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 81, 17 March 1934, Page 11

CHILLED BEEF TRADE

Development in New Zealand SUITABLE CARCASE WANTED In emphasising the suitability of the Aberdeen-Angus breed of cattle for the New Zealand and Australian chilled beef trade, the “ Aberdeen-Angus Review” quotes a British authority on the type of carease most suitable for this trade. The progressive stages to perfection in the carriage of chilled meat from New Zealand and Australia, as witnessed in recent shipments, leads one to express the opinion that successful experiment will soon give way to commercial pressure, and the near future will see regular shipments of chilled beef from these two countries to the United Kingdom, he states. The several factors leading up to this anticipated successful trade have been contributed by the scientist, the shipbuilder, and the refrigerating engineer, a.nd it is now up to the breeder to provide the best quality meat for overseas transport in a chilled state. The mechanical equipment aboard ship is made to specification, and the engineer gets the plant that experience has dictated is the most suitable for the carriage of chilled meat. A specific quality of beef cannot be made to order, though breeders by selection of types could help greatly in this respect, and thus the engineer has no choice in the matter of texture of his chilled cargo. Paradoxically as it may seem, fat in meat is at the same time a source of ■anxiety, and a factor of safety to the refrigerating engineer. He knows that fat readily absorbs the slightest odour and becomes tainted, and, therefore, so far as contamination is concerned, he favours lean meat for transport. Again, he knows that lean meat provides good productive soil for the growth of moulds and bacteria, so he suggests that the lean meat be protected with a covering of fat. He also knows that a thick covering of fat will act as an insulator and be a deterrent to refrigeration, so he recommends a thin covering of fat in order that the meat may speedily acquire a uniform temperature throughout its bulk. Still again the engineer knows that the drying of the surface will hinder the growth of mould and bacteria, but as the surface of meat is continually fed with moisture from underlying tissue he calls for protective internal and external strata of thin fatty tissue to arrest the leakage of moisture to and from the surface of the quarters. With his practical experience in refrigeration and his studies in biological work as exemplified in the points raised above, the ship’s engineer—who is, after all, responsible for the safe transport of chilled beef to its destination —is in a position to develop a specification for what possibly cannot be manufactured either by man or beast —viz., the desirable quarter of beef for chilling purposes in accordance with his views. The refrigerating engineer’s views are that the quarters of beef accepted for shipment should have a thin covering of fat to act as a protective surface against evaporation, mould, and bacteria growth. Further, the meat should be intersected with thin streaks of fatty tissue to arrest the flow of moisture to the surface. These external and internal layers of fat should not be thick, as while they do not arrest evaporation, mould and bacteria growth any better than the thin layers, they will hinder the refrigeration from speedily obtaining uniform flesh temperatures which is most desirable. It is generally accepted! that smallboned meat is more favoured for chilling purposes because of its lesser susceptibility to bone taint than largeboned meat. To summarise the qualities of the ideal quarters for overseas transport in a chilled state —the beef should be preferably small-boned and should have sufficient fatty tissue properly distributed —that is, in thin layers—internally and externally to prevent evaporation and growth of micro-organisms, while at the same time assisting the maintenance of uniform flesh temperatures.