DOING WITHOUT THE FREEZER.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1920, Page 10

DOING WITHOUT THE FREEZER.

A NEW PROCESS. (Extract from "The Bulletin," September 2, 1920.) Nine years ago a former New 'Plymouth resident, Mr. L. F. Bullot, became interested in experiments to keep meat fresh without the aid of the freezing chamber- The early efforts were unsuccessful, but in 1913 Bullot devised a. process which, though it maintained the freshness for a couple of weeks, left a taste of the ingredients. The process promised so wellj though, that he took out world's patents and then proceeded to develop the idea. He has since eliminated the foreign taste, and demonstrated that for a small capital outlay beef and mutton can be handled at a cost of 3<l per 1001b, and rabbits, poultry, etc., at half the cost. The process consists of subjecting carcases, within 1 half an hour of slaughter, to certain fumes for from four to 24 hours. This meat will be kept unfrozen for at least 14 days—it lias actually kept its freshness for almost a month under trying conditions —and maintains all the qualities of fresh-killed meat, and is more tender. Further, the treated carcasea can be frozen and will keep four to five days after defrosting, retaining, moreover, the juices and flavor usually lost in frozen mutton. According to the Sydney Bulletin, Bul-lot-treated meats have been tested and favorably reported on by Dr. Chapman, 'of Sydney Uni.,; Dr. Stokes, bacteriologist; the Commonwealth Government veterinary inspectors; the N.S.W. Meat [lndustry Board, and a number of analysts. Doubt .was expressed by several of the experts as to whether the public would take to the preserved meat. Orange (N.S.W.) dispelled those doubts, for the syndicate behind Bullot, having secured permission from the Pure Food Board to go into the retail trade there for six months irom Nov,, IMS, is still providing more/fian half the meat supplies of that district, which has armed it with dozens of testimonials. But the Pure Food Board Las leg-roped the process; it refuses to recommend an alteration of the Pure Food Regulations which will permit the process to be put into general operation. The regulations allow the use of up to 3Jgr. of sulphur dioxide per lb as a preservative in mince and sausage-meats; but for three years the Board has side-stepped the Bullot syndicate's application for whole meats to be also embraced bv the regulation. Notwithstanding the opinions of Professor Chapman and Dr. Stokes, both of whom are satisfied that the amount of sulphur dioxide in Bullot meat —well under the amount allowed by the present regulations, and half of which disappears in the cooking—can have no injurious effect on consumers, the P.F. Board continues to hold up the question, and thus effectively prevents the Bullot people getting to work, to the great joy of certain vested interests, and also delays the formation of the company which it is proposed should operate the procesß throughout the world.