New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-12
VALUE OF CANNED MEATS.
HIGH PERCENTAGE OF NUTKIMENI
SHOWN BY EXPERTS REPORTS.



THE PROCESS or PREPARING MEAT FOR CAN
NING-GovERNMENT INSPECTORS WORK.
Washington. Jan. lin view OF the statements
which have gained wide circulation regarding thF
nutritive value CT American canned meats teholhk
to injure foreign and domestic trade In these soous
Secretary Wilson has called upon the director OF
the Office OF experiment stations for a statement
OF the conclusions OF scientific experts on thls
matter. This statement ia as follows:
The high nu,ritive value OF American canned
meats has been established repeatedly by thorough
Some years ago Dr. w @. Atwaier, professor OF
chemistry at WESLEYAN unyersiIy Ml I'd s m
Conn. b, gan extended investigation OF the nu-
trItive value Of foods. Later this work was con,
tnued by the Department Of Agriculture Irr WIN
the Investigation being assigned to the office Of ex
psrmen snsc G m AhHrre
nyestsations are stl In progress snd Od RITZ IKE
a sS, p 9 ia he foTm Of bncns
tonal philanthropic and other institutions thrGugh-
The food problem has been carefully studied IN
Europe, Keongen Rubncr. Eitinger. 5tulZer, eau
ihortles have made such invest cations In France
GERMANY Rgsa and other Eurqpean engaged IN
ordinary occupations for soldiers In times of peace
and war and persons in various other conditions
lions in America and abroad has had to DO with
meats. fresh ard preserved . nx,.o
In communication to this Department. Professor
I'll is unfortunate that tho public at large have 50
little appreciation Of the nutrive value OF cameo
meats They are really cooked meats. Invested OF
the lnedible portion. bone, griste. etc, which arc
found in fresh meats. In the cooking and canning
ing. water is expelled but the amount OF nutrtive
material removed Is yery small. indeed, so that a
pound OF ordinary canned meat has, on the av-
erage much more nutriment than the same weight
G pem os Of te bone and part Of the Waer while
40 litte nutriment is taken away. leaves the meats
IN a, less bulky and more concentrated form:
so that, pound for pound, the canned meat
has higher nutritivc value than the fresh
fresh and canned meats collected At Chi
cago during the Worlds Fair and In other
pmd anay1ed Under my Grecton the proportions
Of the nutriuve ingredients In the canned meats
hcve been found to be larger than in the ordinary
freth meats This Is especially true Of the protein
compounds, which are used by ne body to build
bone Among the analyses referred TO. some OF
the largest proportions or protein were FOUND IN
the boiled meats. Such prepared meats, made OF
good materia and properly canned or otherwise
which they have long been held
NECESSARY FOOD INGREDIENTS
The charge Of Inferior nutrt.vs value when ap-
piled to properly canned meats needs only inves-
tigatlon for its refutation Tho experience OF al
most every family has shown that such articles
are satisfactory foods. aan requires four classes
OF food ingredients for the proper maintenance OF
life: First. protein or ntrogoDous matter ss Il.
found in the lean Of meat, casein (curd) Of milk
sugar, starch and allied substances third, Fat. az
matter such as phosphates and other salts Meat Is
one OF the chief sources Of protein In the daily rood
AS shown by chemical analysis, II Is composed OF
water. protein heterogeneous matter. fat and q
small percentage Of mineral water The nitroge-
the basis OF muscle. Meat contiins Also small
percentage OF abumen, which Is extracted by cold
water. bur is coaguated by heat. This and a
small proportion of other nrosenous substance
and mineral matters are practically all which car, can
boiling water when cooked. as is commonly done
Il, canning, extremely little can be extracted.
are put IN watts OF boiling water and thus cooked
This sofens the meat. makes It more tender ana
facilitates the separation Of bone ard grise After
these are removed the meat Is cut into pieces OF
proper size for the can The top Is then soldered
on the can. but small hole is left through which
air ana steam ssssps IN the heating Of the can
hs bde s ber cosed by dTon o melted solder
and the can is Theoretically sealed. The cans are
done to protect the meat from deterioration.
To this end they are kept In warm room for a
killed the meat Will decempose gases will be pro-
duced and the cans VII swell The number OF cane
paid TO average about one-fourth OF one per cent.
The meat In them " thrown into the waste heap
with the nestlnes and other meat refuse and made
into fertilizers
MEATS NUTRTTIvE POWER RETAINED.
BY this common manufacturing process It would
be impossible to remove from the meat which goes
into the cans any considerable part OF the actual
nutriment
The chief difference between the meat as prepared
IN this way and that ordinarily cooked In the
HOUSEHOLDS IL that the canned meat does not contain
the bone and gristle which edible. The
averages Of the analysis OF American meat products
now available give PERCENTAGES Of protein In fresh
beef rurnp $40 per cent tenderlon 10 per cent and
averages for canned beef Boiled beef. q per
cent. and canned beef 26 per cent The proportions
OF fat I'm the canned meats analysed was relatively
smaller. doubtless because the leaner meat was
used for canning.
The value OF meat OF other food. for nourish-
ment depends upon its diRestibility-that IL, upon
the proportion Of nutritive material that Is alb
sorbed from she digestive tract during It's passage
through tho body. Numerous tests have been made
OK the digestibility Of fresh meats ordinarily
cooked for eating The number Of experiments
made with canned meats is smaller but there Is no
reason To assume any considerable difference be-
tween The two. Nearly all the protein Of beef Il
~ ordinarily eaten. Is dlgesied and assmlatcd by
the system. The high nutritlve value of properly
cooked canned meat Is therefore well settled by ac-
curate experiment.
In the great ssochyards in Chicago Kansas City
and elsewhere. whore nearly all OF the canned mea
II put up all the meat IL inspected on the hoof and
AZ the time Of slauRhterine by Government ex-
perts who on the ground all the time and with
out whose exam!na ion not an animal Is killed and
no shipment OF meat can be made without viola
tion OF Government regulations. This Is the guar
antee for the quality Of the meat whether fresh or
canned
INTENSE COLD Up TIE STATE