AN IMPROVED METHOD OF FREEZING MEAT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3425, 16 December 1896, Page 2

AN IMPROVED METHOD OF FREEZING MEAT.

(Christchurch Press.) One of the chief complaints against frozen meat is what is known as ".bone taint"—that is, the meat around the bone in the legs and shoulders has become slightly putrefied. Various causes have been assigned for this, one being that putrefaction sets in before the meat is thoroughly frozen through. This is •specially the case with large joints, such as quartern of beef. In ordor to obviate this danger of impairing the quality of the meat through im perfect freezing, an improved process of subjecting a carcase or joint of meat to the influence of the cooling medium has been patented by Pr Brittain, of Papanui, and Mr Gl iss, of the Belfast freezing works. Their j plan is to start freezing the meat from the centre, thus allowing the heat to be abstracted outwardly; and it is clakied, therefore, that under this process there will be no danger of üboneubone taint." The brine or other cooling mixture is introduced to the joint by means of an instrument, a kind of hollow knife, which is divided almost to the point into two compartments, so arraaged that the brino cannot come into actual contact with the mtat. As the nieao, when frozen, will adhere to the instrument, it has to be relieved by passing a fluid or air through at a warmer temperature, and this can readily be done by means of properly constructed supply cocks. The meat is thus first frozen from the centre, and the whole carcase or joint is finished off in the freezing chamber. In the case of a hind-quarter of beef, the instrument to

be used, which is 20in in length, and 1J in wide, is inserted io the hole of what is commonly known as the " aitch bone," and passed up as far as the stifle joint. The forequarter is treated by inserting it under the shoulder so as to get as near the shoulder joint as possible. For freezing sheep a smaller instrument would, of course, be required. The process can be used for merely cooling meat for butchers' purposes, &c., and by using warm fluid or air the meat can be defrosted after it has been frozen. Whatever may be the success of the plan here, it should at anyrate be invaluable in warmer climates, such as Queensland, where, it is said, beef cannot be successfully frozen on account of bone taint setting in before the freezing is completed. Experiments on a large scale are shortly to be carried out so as to thoioughly test the process.