The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-09
Prof. w. o. Atwater's Extended Inves-
tigatiOn to Show the High Value
of Canned Foods.
RANK OF PRESERVED MEATS
MORE NUTRIMENT TO THE POUND
THAN IN THE FRESH ARTICLE.
Manner of Preparation shown to Be
Such as to Insure WhOIeOme Com
ditiOn of the Product.


WASHINGTON, Jan. SIN view Of the
statements which have gained wide circula-
ton regarding the nutritive value of Amer
lean canned meats, tending to injure foreign
and domestic trade in these goods. Secretary
Wilson has called on the director of the
office of experiment stations for a statement
of the conclusions of scientific experts on
this matter This statement is as follows:
THE high nutritive value of American
canned meats has been established repeat
edly by thorough and impartial tests, con-
Quoted by scientific experts. Some years ago
DR.. w. o. Atwater, professor of chemistry
at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn,
began extended investigation of the nutritive
value of foods. Later this work was con-
tinued by the Department of Agriculture,
with funds appropriated by Congress for the
purpose, the investigation being assigned to
the office of experiment stations and Pro-
fessor Atwaters services secured as special
agent in charge. These Investigations are
still in progress and large amount of in
formation has been secured and the results
published in the form of bulletins. Educa-
tional, philanthropic and other institutions
throughout the country have co-operated in
this work.
THE food problem has been very care
fully studied in Europe. Koenig, Rubner,
Etinger, StutzeE Gauter, Fassbender,
Sontzer and other eminent authorities have
made such Investigations in France, Ger
many, Russia and other European countries.
The value of different foods for men engaged
in ordinary occupations, for soldiers in times
fnf
other conditions of life, has been studied.
A part of these Investigations in America
and abroad has had to do with meats fresh
and preserved. In a communication to this
department Professor Atwater says
1T is unfortunate that the public at
large has so little appreciation of the nu-
tritive value of canned meats. They are
really cooked meats divested of the inedible
portions, bone, gristle, ETC., which are found
in fresh meats. In the cooking and canning,
which is of the nature of boiling rather
than roasting, water is expelled but the
amount Of nutritive material removed is
very small, indeed, so that pound of or
dtnary canned meat has, on the average,
much more nutriment than the same weight
of the fresh meat from which ii is prepared
The removal of the bone and part of the
water, while so little nutriment is taken
away, leaves the meat in a less bulky and
more concentrated form, so that, pound for
pound, the canned meat has a higher nu-
tritlve value than the fresh meat. In a large
number of analyses of fresh and canned meat
collected at Chicago during the worlds fair
and in other parts of the country before and
since that time, and analyzed under my di-
rection, the proportions OF the nutritive in
gradients in the canned meats have been
found to be larger than in the ordinary
fresh meats. This is especially true of the
protein compounds, which are used by the
body to build up its nitrogenous materials
as blood, muscle and bone. Among the anal
yses referred to some of the largest pro-
portions of protein were found in the boiled
meats. Such prepared meats, made of good
material and properly canned or otherwise
preserved. are worthy of the very high es-
TEEN in which they have long been held
THE charge of inferior nutritive value,
when applied to properly canned meats,
needs only investigation for its refutation.
The experience of almost every family has
shown that such articles are satisfactory
foods. Man requires four classes of food
ingredients for the proper maintenance or
life: % Protein or heterogeneous matter as
found in the lean of meat, casen (curd)
as sugar, starch and allied substances; CD
fat, as butter fat of meats, ETC., and (4)
mineral matter, such as phosphates and
other salts, is also required. Meat is one
of the chief sources of protein in the daily
food. AS shown by chemical analysis it
is composed of water, protein or nitrogencus
matter, fat and a small percentage Of min
eral matter. The nitrogenOus matter is made
up very largely of myosin, the basis of
muscle. Meat contains also a small per-
centage of albumen, which is extracted by
cold water, but is coagulated by heat This
and small proportion of other nitrogenous
substances and mineral matters, are prac-
tically all which can be extracted by water
If meat is plunged into boiling water when
cooked, as is commonly done in canning.
extremely little can be extracted.
in preparing the meat for canning large
pieces are put in vats of boiling water and
thus cooked. This softens the meat. makes
it more tender and facilitates the separa-
ton of bone and gristle. After these are
removed the meat is cut into pieces of prop
er size for the can. The top is then
soldered on the can, but small hole is
left, through which air and steam escape
in the heating of the can which follows. This
heating also kills the bacteria The hole
is then closed by drop of melted solder,
and the can is hermehcally sealed The
cans are then tested to see whether this
handling has been done so as to protect the
meat from deterioration. To this end they
are kept in a warm room for number of
days. If the bacteria have not been killed
the meat Will decompose. gases will be pro-
duced and the will swell. The number
Of cans that swell and thus indicate imper-
feet handling is said to average about one
fourth of I per cent The meat in them
is thrown into the waste heap with the in
testines and other meat refuse, and made
into fertilizers. BY this common manufac-
turing process 1t would be impossible to re-