QUICK-FREEZE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25058, 23 November 1944, Page 4

QUICK-FREEZE

TREATING VEGETABLES START AT PUKEKOHE SUPPLIES FOR, AMERICANS An entirely new method of preserving vegetables will be inaugurated iu the Dominion in about a fortnight's time when the revolutionary quickfreeze plant being installed at the Pukekolie dehydration factory will commence operations. The work of erecting the special machinery, which was imported from America, is well advanced and the Auckland manager of the Internal Marketing Division, Mr A. H. Honeyfield, said last night that a start would be made with the quick-freezing of green peas during the first week of December. Success in United States Under tho new process of preservation, the temperature of tho produce will be reduced to zero in the shortest possible time without breaking the cell membranes, after which, it was stated, the vegetables will retain their garden freshness for at least a year. Tho method has been iu use for last ten or eleven years in the United States and has recently expanded into an important industry as a result of improved technique coupled with the need for supplying large quantities of fresh produce to the American forces serving overseas. Supplies Being Grown To supply the plant at Pukekohe. a total of 250 acres of peas is under cultivation in market gardens in the Auckland Province. About 100 acres of beans and from 1000 to 2000 tons of cauliflowers are also being grown in State gardens and by commercial growers under contract to the Government with a view to their being subjected to the "quick-freeze" process. The preservation of the beans will commence in February and of the cauliflowers in April and May next. According to Mr Honeyfield, experimental quantities of spinach, asparagus, broccoli and even -strawberries and raspberries will be frozen. Work for Seventy Girls About 70 girls will be employed in the factory in tlie processing of tlie vegethe entire output of which is destined for the American armed forces in the Pacific. In the initial stages, the processing will be under the supervision of a technical Apert brought from America, and the machinery will be operated by the men at present engaged 'in its installation. Only immature produce is suitable for "quick-freezing." Vegetables which are rejected will be used in the canning which will be opened at the factory during the second week of December. As a start, only specially developed varieties of American peas will be processed, but it is intended to carry out experiments to find which are the best suited of the local product.