STORAGE OF FRUIT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18253, 23 November 1933, Page 3

STORAGE OF FRUIT

REFRIGERATION PROBLEM IMPROVEMENT IN METHODS The first technical meeting of tho Auckland branch of the New Zealand Association of Refrigeration was held ou Monday evening, the chairman, Mr. G. K. Hansard, presiding. An address on tho handling and storage of fruit was given by Mr. W. J. Webb, chief engineer to Turners and Growers, Limited, and lecturer at tho Seddon Memorial Technical College, there being a large attendance.

Mr. Webb stated that in view of the difficulties of tho times it was very necessary to eliminate all economic waste. It was not so long ago that cool stores were blamed for all tho loss resulting during storage, and no doubt they deserved their share of the charge. It had been shown, however, that many of tho ills could be prevented' by the grower. Nowadays, if sound fruit was put in tlie cool store, it stood a good chance of coming out in good condition. The speaker pointed out that the value of fruit as a food ceased with its death. It was necessary to keep fruit alive and healthy, and to obtain the best results from storing living foods until consumption was desired, attention had to be directed to parentage, environment, nourishment, protection, harvesting, packing, pre-cooling, transport and storage. It was to be remembered that all the factors could be under control.

Mr. Webb dealt with essential protections against disease in fruit and judicious cultivation. Great care, he said, should bo exercised in picking fruit for storage. Withering would result later on should fruit be picked too soon before the development of flavor, and picking at too late a stage would moan that the life of the fruit in store would riot be so long. Another desirable condition was to have the packing cases clean, dry and free from internal roughness.