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58
On examination, this meat and butter were found to be oil tainted caused by a leakage
in the oil pipes on the vessel ; the bottom tier had been in actual contact with oil.
The 99 cases of butter and the badly damaged meat were at once destroyed by
your contractors. The remainder was put into Cold Store and after various examinations
it was found possible to release the meat on the 21st July for general sale.
CHILLED BEEF FROM AUSTRALIA.
A shipment of chilled beef from Australia arrived on the 21st July, 1926,
and was duly examined by your Inspector. The consignment consisted of about
800 hind quarters shipped at Brisbane.
By the courtesy of the High Commissioner for Australia your Medical Officer
was in possession of the intimate preliminary details of this experimental consignment
before arrival. The fact of receiving chilled beef from Australia, whether
considered as a scientific achievement or as a solid commercial proposition, is one
of profound interest in all its varied detail. Cattle selection, killing, dressing,
cooling, weight loss, wrapping, hanging, stowage, insulation, original and intermediate
costings and eventual price to the consumer are all in their turn part of
Public Health in its wider aspects, but the immediate points for consideration
were:—
(1) Whether the meat had been superficially treated in any way
except by exposure to chilling temperatures. I am assured it had not
been so treated.
(2) Whether the meat had turned out free from taint or mould
growth.
(3) Whether the meat was of acceptable appearance to the retail
purchaser on "thawing," as chilled meat.
Fractional crystallisation of muscle substance under freezing temperatures
separates its constituents in a way that is evidenced by drip of sanious water on
thawing, since the intimate compound of albumens and water within fibre sheaths
is so altered on freezing as to be beyond reconstitution as muscle.
The ideal of chilling sufficiently to prevent growth of moulds and microorganisms
without some degree of the freezing change taking place is hard of
realisation. Yet chilled meat at its best differs markedly from frozen in this
respect of constitutional change, forming therefore a more attractive and marketable
commodity. The imperfection of any insulation requires that an elaborate
arrangement for a scheme of cooling and record be provided throughout the whole
time of carriage. The closer to 32 deg. F. the temperature of the meat is brought
and kept the better.
Cold air in this experiment was to be equably distributed so as to renew the
air of the chamber once every 15 days. The aim was a nice balance between
heat of conduction and frost, so that carriage at a chamber temperature of 32 deg. F.
might be effected.
One gain to the consumer is the obvious premium on cleanliness of a high
order which must obtain throughout every process in the attempt to ship chilled
meat over long distances. Contamination in any stage not only vitiates the meat,
but prejudices the commercial success of the venture. Commerce and health
so far thus intimately run hand in hand.
Between killing and shipment (25th—27th May) the temperature of the meat
varied from 32 deg. to 34 deg. F. In loading (27th—28th May) the special chamber,
situated in No. 4 'tween deck, varied from 32 deg. to 45 deg. F. and then
37 deg. F.
The insulation of the chamber was effected by means of wood shavings which,
among insulating media, are said to afford an unattractive hold to mould germs.