MEAT FLOUR

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14756, 21 September 1921, Page 6

MEAT FLOUR

PROFITABLE NEW INDUSTRY. SUGGESTED WAIKATO FACTORY. PROCESS AND VALUE EXPLAINED. An entirely new industry (o New Zealand, and one which promises lo bring prosperity In Ihe grazier, who • should, at this period of depression of the meal market, look In it appreciatively, is the manufacture of meat fionr. A small plant has already been established by the meat Hour syndicate in the King Country, and the product is commented upon most favourably by people who have sampled and tested it for food value and palal,ability. Mr George Parr, President of the ’ Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, ever ready to give a new thing a trial, heard of the process, got in touch with the pioneers, and on Monday night arranged a meeting of farmers and the general public at the Borough Council Chambers, Hamilton, to whom tiie process i was explained by Mr W. Abbot, the j Auckland representative of The Ausi tndasian Trade Expansion Co., Ltd., j which has taken the matter up. Mr Parr, who occupied the chair, I said New Zealand could not expect lo | become a manufacturer of hardware, but she could develop her primary industries, and the present one of making meat lion r was one which should greatly assist the Dominion’s prosperity. There were- certainly posj sihililies in it, and knowing lids, he thought he would like to give the people of the Waikato an opportunity, at any rate, of learning something about it. If favoured, the question of erecting a factory jn the Waikato for the manufacture of the product might be considered. Loan of Moat Treated. Mr Abbot thanked the chairman for j his kindly interest, and said that ! Hamilton was the first town in Now ! Zealand to ask for particulars of the I industry. Meat flout-, he said, was a process where the lean of meat was treated, and by which the whole of the moisture, about 58 per -cent, was evaporated, and in its dryness lay its preservative qualities. The inventor Mr W. F. Remus, of Rangataua, near Ruapehu, really got his idea from Ihe, Maoris years ago, who used to dry their meat in the sun and then break it up and carry it about anil cat it- He set (o work to invent an evaporating process and succeeded. That the food value still remained in the product was proved by the healthy appearance of the natives and also, subsequently, by an analysis by Prof- Worley, of the Auckland University, who had had a quantity of meat flour under observation since 1919, and the outstanding feature of his three reports were the following conclusions: — (1) The great feeding value of the meat flour; (2) its remarkable keeping qualities; (3) its superiority to extracts which, he points out, are of little or no value ns foods, their purpose being mainly to stimulate the digestive juices. The most valuable portion of meat, said Hie speaker, was the protein or flesh-forming mailer, and the following analysis and comparison of meat Hour with other well-known foods and extracts (taken from the professor’s first report) spoke for itself; — Water. Ptn. Fat. Ash. Meat Flour .... 7.5 SI.O 8.0 3.5 Uouikl (edible lean portion) 70.0 21.0 7.9 1-1 Loin ! edible lean , „ portion) .... 07.0 19.3 12.7 1.0 Dried licet (as purchased).. -11. S 38.6 5.-1 1 I Liebesr’s Extract (hovril -V Co.) 22.2 1 57.4 0.29 20.45 Armour’s Extet. 1 5.79 51.3 0.2 1 29.36 ,

Will Supply a Long-felt Want. The promoters had devoted over twelve months lo very careful investigation and experimental work, more especially re the keeping qualities, commercial value, and uses of the article in the household ( for ordinary everyday cooking and were firmly convinced that the flour will supply a longfelt want. A great many tests had hern conducted by independent persons. both in this and other countries, during the. past eighteen months, and the concensus of opinion was that the meat flour was a discovery of worldwide importance- This opinion was endorsed by the wholesale and retail firms, including English. American, and Continental houses, and also hy business and professional men. Meal flour could be manufactured and marketed at a price (bat placed it wilhin reach of (lie poorest family. It would tie. in fact, quite easily the cheapest-concen-trated meat product procurable in this or any other country. Amongst the dishes that could be provided were soups of all kinds (more nourishing than ordinary soups), curries, sausage, rolls, rissoles, meat pies, potato cakes, dry hash, cottage, pie, croquettes, jolly hoys, shepherd’s pie, Lancashire hot pot. mince, beef cutlets, Dresden patties, stuffed tomatoes, stuffed marrow. savoury luncheon biscuits, etc. Meat pastes of many kinds for sandwiches, school luncheons, etc, are easily and quickly prepared with any desired flavour.

Apart altogether from the domestic uses of the. flour, especially in the small household, the uses for this produel in the commercial world would he many and varied. Large English, American, and Continental manufacturers would welcome llm meat Hour as an inexpensive, safe and convenient form flip Urn putting up of bottled, jarred and tinned meat products. It will be used by large biscuit manufacturers for the manufacture of savoury biscuit's; also by condimenfors for sauces, small goods manufacturers for concentrated soups, etc., by wholesale manufacturing chemists for beef and iron wine tonics, tabloids, etc. The rapid civilisation of the great Eastern nations that were comparatively so close, lo us, meant the growth of a huge eastern trade with Die Hour direct from New Zealand- A large proportion of the teeming millions of Japan, China. India, Burma, and the Malay Peninsula were becoming large consumers of meal. Vet (he dense population prevented the keeping of large (locks and herds. A Big Demand.

Based upon the enquiry already received and the estimated requirements of storekeepers, the demand in New Zealand alone should absorb half the output of the new faetory. It was bis firm conviction ib.it by the end of the first twelve months the demand will exceed the capacity of the Waimarino factory and district. If that should he the case it will lie necessary to erect works in oilier s ,f "’k dislrids, probably in con i line I inn with oilier existing freezing works, if satisfactory arrangements could he made, \ 11 existing freezing works would nml |o instil 1 a comparatively small apparatus for Hie manufacture of meal flour, and the, two industries would not in any way clash, as only prime stock was accepted for frozen meat export, while store stock need only he used for Die production of meal Hour. They had, as the result of very careful enquiry, been emivineed Dial Ibis meat Hour is something entirely different from anything else Dial, had ever been placed on Die world’s markels. This conviction had Just been endorsed by a Mr Lambe, a meat parking representative from London, a gentlc-

man well and favourably known in the meat freezing industry throughout Hie world, and who was now on a visit to New Zealand. This gentleman had nearly iO years’ experience in the management of freezing companies in New Zealand, Australia, United States of America, and latterly the Argentine. I He was familiar with every meat pro- ! duct marketed during the last 50 i years, and he affirmed that they had something not only in-w, hut. something very good, and with a splendid future before, itThe freight question has been gone into, and it lias been found that meat (lone will only occupy about, onetwelfth of the space that, frozen meat occupies on shipboard, which means an enormous saving in freights, it, can. moreover, go as ordinary cargo, and | here again there would be a reduction. Claims for the Industry. The great value of the new industry to freezing companies may, said the speaker, be briefly summarised thus: — The conversion of a portion of meat now sent Home as frozen meat, will reduce Hie volume on the London market, and thus giye the price a chance lo harden; the portion converted into meat Hour will give an enhanced return to the farmer for Ids meat; the capital required In erect a meat Hour works, to work in conjunction with a freezing works, is very little; when tinned meat is a glut on the market meat flour could he made, and the manufacture of meat flour from some of the slock now turned into tinned goods would materially aid in preventing such a glut occurring: an immense market for meal Hour, at present unexploitcd by the fresh nr frozen meat trade- is awaiting in tropical, arid, and semi-tropical countries. The claims made and now proved for this meat flour he gave briefly as follows: —Very great concentration, only surplus moisture removed; remarkable keeping qualities under- trying conditions; great convenience and saving of time and firing in general household cooking; wide range of utility for general food purposes; palalability and digestibility; cheaper by at least onehalf than other concentrated meal products; can be made from store or forward stock; can be sold in cartons or packages like tea; can be made from less valuable parts of beasts and yet show practically the same analysis; does not require storing in a refrigerating chamber at works, port of shipment, ship-hoard, or port of arrival; greatly reduced freight owing to small space taken up (about one-twelfth that of frozen meat);'great value for the millions with defective teeth who cannot masticate fresh meat; inestimable importance in time of war; value in Eastern countries, arid regions, and polar regions; utility for shipping companies, aviators, motorists, miners, explorers, sportsmen, etc.; comparatively small amount of capital required to he sunk in buildings, plant, machinery, etc.; exceptional value in building up the strength of invalids, dyspeptics, delicate children, etc.: docs not require preservatives of any kind to improve its keeping qualities. High Nutritive Value.

It had been proved, added Mr Abbot, that there was no food known of such high nnlritive value as this meat flour. The Department of Industries and Omni erne had taken the mailer up, and after an investigation its report was exceedingly satisfactory. Extracts from tins report the speaker read, in which tin. Department spoke hightly of its nutritive value. An important factor was Hint the meat Hour was not cooked, and therefore the vilamines were not destroyed. It had great palatably and persons who had tried it much preferred it to fresh meat. It could be made up into numerous dishes and its economy was undoubted, for Ilb of meat flour would provide eight meals for eight people, and recently at a dinner held at Ohakune 18 persons sal down to a meal composed entirely of meat Hour dishes, and only a little over half a pound of meat flour was used in its preparation. It was excellent for invalids and bore a far higher food value ttian the ordinary concentrated meat extracts. It could be exported easily and compactly, and would keep (so far as present tests went) for two years without the slightest sign of deterioration. It was really on a comparison with milk powder. At' present it was being manufactured (including all overhead charges) at Is ltd per 11), and could be manufactured in larger Huantitics for very much less. It took ;{|li of meat to produce 11b of the flour, which was at present being readily sold at bs per lb, and was found exceedingly economical in the household at this price. Many Advantages. Mr E. MacGregor said lie consider'd meal (lour was a marketable product and a good food. He spoke with a thorough knowledge of the meat industry, extending over a lifetime. There were advantages in il from start to finish, and lie, could find rml a 'single objection to the process. lie had had some meat flour in Ids own house for six months and could find no deterioration in it.

Major J. B. Whyte, another wellknown farmer, after sampling a quantity which was laid on the table at the meeting, approved of it as a desirable form of food, and said that while finance was a difficulty the industry could possibly be more economically run in connection with freezing works. He had not the slightest doubt that once the public realised that in this meat Hour they had all the nourishment of fresh meat, in a form that would keep and could he used really far heller than the newly-killed meat, that Ihere would be a tremendous sale for it, not only in this country but Ihrnughmil, Dm world. From analysis it apparently had far greater food value than the ordinary meal extracts. In South Africa the campaigners used to eat meat dried in the sun, and they found that it would keep for an indefinite period and was exceedingly nourishing. Ho Ihougul ihere was a tremendous future for Dm industry once properly launched. Mr ,1. Gilbert, of the Farmers’ AucI ioneering Co.) said there were unuouhlcdly groat possibilities for meal Hour. The question of finance had been mentioned, hut lie thought a cooperative. company could easily he Coaled by canvassing amongst llm farmers themselves and selling the shares in small lots. Supplementary to Freezing. Mr .1. A. Young, M.D., (bought meat flour was destined to fill a very important place in Die food category of the future. The speaker eonsidereil it should he rim as a supplementary industry lo freezing, just as milk-powder was In dairying. lie saw no reason why Dm produel should nol he maim - factiired on a farmers’ eo-npor.itive basis. II was well world while the freezing companies looking into llm proposals, onl of whieh I Imre were aTs i great possihilil ies for hy-prodiiels. while one far I Dial could not he stressa I |oo greatly was that llm hones eonlaining Dm natural phosphalie, mailer, whieh was so essential lo put hark into llm soil, would he retained in llm ei imlry. To him Hie proposition appea red jusl Hie very I hing lo solve llm nmal problem, ;.s the price farmers

were recej. in ; for I heir meal a| I lie l*reseiil time scarcely compensated Diem for rearing Die animals, I<■ I alone la lurnmg Diem a profit. By convertill-• Iheir slock inlo meat llniir i| appr ired In him they would have an assured profitable return. At present the

cost of handling the meat from the farm until it was placed on the London market was pro.hihil.ive. the producer receiving barely Id per lb for his produel from I tie 5d or Gd at which it sold in Kn,aland. In facl. in some eases 1 1' ere was even n debit balance put up against him. The speaker answered a large number of questions, and at the conclusion of his interesting and instruelive address was accorded a hearty vote of thanks, (tie expressions of gratitude being general. Mr .1. Hilbert also paid a tribute to the initiative of Mr G. Parr, president of the Ghamher. wtio had been responsible for the introduction of so many new schemes to Hamilton. Mr Abbot said Mr Parr was Hie first man in New Zealand who, despite the tremendous amount of data circulated throughout the Dominion, had eome forward and said “we want to know something more about this industry,” and Hie Ghamher was to he rongratuIrded upon possessing a president of such initiative and ability. (Applause.)