CARRIAGE OF PRODUCE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18512, 8 March 1930, Page 15 (Supplement)

CARRIAGE OF PRODUCE

THE STORAGE PROBLEM. EXPERIMENTAL WORK. For some years experimental work has been proceeding at the Low Temperature Cold Storage Station, Cambridge, on various problems connected with the transport of perishable goods from different parts of the Empire to the United Kingdom. Some of these investigations have been carried out as a result of approaches made by interested Empire Governments. For example, experiments in the transport of chilled beef from Australia have been proceeding for some years on behalf of the Commonwealth Government. Extended investigations have been carried out on the transport of apples for the New Zealand Government.

This work has only been made possible on a large scale by the financial support given by the Empire Marketing Board, which early realised the importance of urgent investigation of the whole connected problem of the transport of food upon which Great Britain so largely depends. A further large sum of money has been expended in erecting a model ship’s hold at East Mailing where ideal conditions of transport will be studied. Extremely valuable information has been obtained from these researches, but it clearly indicates the difficulty and complexity of the various problems arising from the carriage of perishable food under definite temperature conditions.

Although our knowledge of the best condition of transport of each particular foodstuff has increased since 1883 and many difficulties have been overcome, a great deal remains to be done. The chief general problem is the determination of the most suitable temperature conditions for efficient and economic transportation of each particular foodstuff. Thus for mutton and lamb it is obvious that above a certain temperature

1 acteria! and mould action will set in and the material will be spoiled. On the other hand if too low a temperature is used money will be wasted in maintaining this temperature. If undesirable conditions are maintained the goods will lose weight and suffer deterioration because of this.

The need of investigation into these and connected problems has been realised by these interested, the New Zealand Government, the Meat Board, th Empire Marketing Board, and the Low Temperature Station at Cambridge, and an expedition is being sent to New Zealand from Cambridge this year to commence new and ’ important researches.

Cheese is another product of great value to the Dominion which has its own particular problems. It needs to be carried at a higher temperature even that fruit owing to the fact that ripening continues or should do so during transport. The ideal temperature for this is not yet known. Control of weight, loss or gain, is an important factor because if undue loss is sustained there is a direct loss to the producer, in addition to loss of quality. The problems connected with * fruit transport, although of less importance from a national point of view than those connected with meat, butter and cheese, have received more attention and have thus been brought nearer to a solution.

The light which recent researches have thrown on general cold storage problems chieflly at Cambridge has served to show the need of intensive and extensive research into the whole connected problem of transport of food and surely there is every reason why the producing country should contribute in personnel and financially toward the solution of these problems of common importance to the Empire.