MEAT IN LONDON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19279, 18 March 1926, Page 9

MEAT IN LONDON.

NEW ARGENTINE SCHEME. . FRESH KILLED BEEF SOLD. Keuter—Sun. LONDON. March 16. The Evening News predicts that the report of the Food Council on meat will urge an immediate substantial reduction in prices, and that butchers are at present overcharging by 2d a lb. The first consignment of fresh Argentine beef killed at English-owned abattoirs at Zeebrugge, was sold at Smithfield market to-day within one day of the killing. It was all disposed of by noon at 9d a lb., which equalled the price of English meat. Previously, owing to the prohibition against the landing of live Argentine cattle, this beef was only available in chilled form. It is now marketable as quickly as Scottish killed and is not expected to affect prices. Before it is tried on a larger scale, the meat will be loaded on special rail cars and conveyed by the ferry train to Harwich.

Dr. T. Moran, a refrigerating expert, lectured before the British Cold Storage Association. He said that, with the growth of the chilled meat trade, frozen meat was being gradually pushed out of the English market. It was clear that unless a better refrigerated product could be sent the future of the Australian beef trade in Britain was gloomy.

The necessary improvement could only be achieved either by prolonging the life of the chilled carcase or by the discovery of some freezing and thawing process which would leave the muscle substances of the meat unaltered, and secure a total elimination of drip.