24 PRELIMINARY COLD STORAGE STUDIES. 



furnished to the trade in apparently as good a condition as when they were first put 

 in storage. We have no trouble in holding meats for eight to ten months in a hard- 

 frozen condition, and the quality is eminently satisfactory. Very rarely do we have 

 any complaints from the trade; once or twice during the season, perhaps. Given a 

 stable temperature of about 15° F., with no more fluctuation than 2°, I believe meats 

 can be held hard-frozen indefinitely, say several years, without further deterioration 

 in quality other than that which transpires when same are first frozen. But in this 

 country, where the outside temperature ranges from zero to as much as 60 below 

 at times, it is impossible to keep an equable degree of cold, as the outside temperature 

 is bound to have an effect on the cold-storage chambers, producing in them lowering 

 of the temperature, and this excessive coldness has a tendency to take more or less 

 of the life out of the meats and renders them slightly dryer than otherwise if kept for 

 any length of time, say more than a year and a half. * * * 



A cold storage warehouseman of many years' experience makes the 

 f ollowing statement : 



* * * My present cold-storage occupation will not be of much use to you, as we 

 do not handle any goods first-handed. I established one of the first cold-storage 

 plants in the country and have had no end of experience, especially in the meat line. 

 I have slaughtered at home, bought at Chicago both alive and dressed, and cut up all 

 grades and qualities. As a matter of trade cold storage is required to do this. After 

 48 hours it never improves the taste of any goods or their health-giving nutriment. 

 I have eaten meat I have kept a year; while tender, it lost a large part of its taste. 

 I do not consider it wholesome. I could fill 20 pages with experience, but it 

 would not help you. There are so many different qualities in the same kinds that it 

 would be hard to set a limit. 



Another storage company sends, in addition to the blank filled out, 

 the following information: 



* * * We do not exactly understand whether the minimum and maximum time 

 of storage is intended to show the customary times which these products remain in 

 storage, or whether it is the intention to show the time certain goods might attain 

 their best condition, and the time when they would be expected to begin to deteriorate. 

 We presume, however, that it is the former, and have made our answers on that basis, 

 assuming to a large extent that the withdrawals of these goods indicate the latter. 



Market conditions always enter into the matter also. Taking, for instance, fresh 

 meats, we handle a great deal which is taken out almost as soon as thoroughly frozen, 

 but the great bulk of it will remain for some time. We do not consider, however, that 

 it can be carried satisfactorily over three months, as it will begin to show more or 

 less dryness, etc. 



As to fish, it is not uncommon for us to carry them one year or longer, but we consider 

 them in nearly all cases beginning to deteriorate after three or four months, unless they 

 are redipped in water, thus forming a thin coat of ice over them which will protect them 

 from deterioration almost indefinitely, so long as this process is renewed from time to 

 time. Practically, however, this can not be done often on account of the cost, which 

 would become an important factor, and we merely refer to this as indicating what might 

 be done. 



As to butter, where we show the minimum time of ten days you will understand 

 that this refers to butter which is put in refrigerating rooms for the purpose of carrying 

 it for a short time when the market may be overloaded or for some similar reason. For 

 June creameries intended for use during the following winter the temperature is held 

 from 5° to 10° above and also to 5° below zero. It is now assumed by the trade that the 

 best results in carriage are obtained at the lower temperature. * * * 



