THICKER SAUSAGES

Waikato Independent, Volume XL, Issue 3666, 10 February 1940, Page 2

THICKER SAUSAGES

NO IMPORTED CASINGS USE OF NEW ZEALAND SKINS Because sausage skins may no longer be imported butchers will in future use a New Zealand product for the outer garment of the popular sausage, ,pork or beef. And because the New Zealand casings are not graded so ; accurately as ' those marketed by overseas merchants there may be slight variations in the dimensions in the future. This does not mean that there will be any decrease in the net weight of a pound of sausages, but the increase in girth may mean a shortening, so the shape of sausages presently appearing on the market may be “dumpy” rather than, “lanky.” Prohibition of the import of casings from overseas reveals the curious fact that most of the product used in the Dominion in the past was actually of New Zealand origin being exported to America for processing and grading and then reexported to the land where it was produced.. No Possible Scarcity While the import is restricted, a New Plymouth merchant said that there would never be a shortage in New Zealand so long as freezing works were operating. It is an important branch of trade for in one year one company sold 33,0001 b of American, sausage casings, as against 300ib of New Zealand-made skins. It is stated that when American stocks now held are exhausted the New Zealand market can supply all requirements. Most of the New Zealand supplies are drawn from the Waikato and Wanganui districts, and a few came from South Island areas. As yet, with the summer season, when the demand for sausages is not so heavy, and the fact that most butchers bought more than, they required when a shortage seemed likely, the full effect lias not been realised, but the day will come, according to dealers, when the entire market will be supplied by New Zealand. Changes in Shape An explanation of the reason for a change in shape of sausages is given by a New Plymouth butcher. He states that the full length of the casing is not of uniform diameter, there being a small tapering portion at one end and another lengtn of increasing calibre at the other. In the American works these lengths of varying thickness are removed and a length of almost uniform capacity is supplied to butchers, resulting in various groups of sausages being all of the accepted degree of slimness. The practice in New Zealand is to use the thinner end of the casing for pigmy or “cheerio” sausages, and the remainder, including the expanding end, for the standard filling. As the skins are filled the larger girth would result in sausages of the ordinary length becoming much heavier. So to maintain the weight at an average which would give the familiar “six to the pound” the greater circumference is counteracted by a diminution in length. Hence sausages of the future may appear in unfamiliar shapes, but the butchers give an assurance thal there will be no diminution of the cubic contents.