Australians could soon be chucking a piece of “australus” on the barbecue if the new name for a slice of kangaroo makes it more appealing to diners sensitive about eating the national symbol.
Inspired by the fact that slices of cow or pig on a plate are known by the more palatable euphemisms of beef or pork, Australia’s kangaroo-meat industry backed a competition to find a similarly savoury name for cute kangaroos.
It was won by United States citizen Steven West, who came up with the name “australus” while working at a hotel school near Sydney.
The editor of Food Companion International, which ran the competition, said “australus” sounds dignified and links the meat with the home of the kangaroo.
“The new name may be a huge breakthrough for the kangaroo-meat industry,” Mel Nathan was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Among the 2 700 rejected entries submitted by people in 41 nations were kangasaurus, kangarly, marsupan, jumpmeat and MOM (meat of marsupials).
“There is nothing more comforting than a mother,” said Californian Greg Richardson of his MOM entry. “In order to make kangaroo meat sound more comforting to potential consumers, I figured we could associate one with the other: MOM.”
Kangaroo-meat sales have grown fiftyfold in the past decade to create a Aus$200-million a year industry, with Europe a major export market for the low-fat red meat and Russians lapping it up in sausages.
But Australians have been reluctant to eat an animal so closely linked to the national identity — and portrayed as intelligent and lovable in the popular television programme Skippy — so most kangaroo meat consumed locally is in the form of pet food.
The national quota for culling kangaroos in 2005 was 3,9-million animals, a number described by some wildlife activists as a cruel slaughter but defended by the industry as necessary to keep down booming populations.
The executive officer of the Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia, John Kelly, said that while his organisation helped sponsor the competition it has “no really serious intention of changing the name” at this stage. — AFP