Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-09-06
FOOD
FADS AND
FANCIES
Breakfast Cereals Largely a
Matter Of COIOred Labels
and Advertising

Professor ]. r. weems. Of the Iowa
Agricultural College, is responsible for
these remarks regarding the various
cereal products known as breakfast
foods, and 80 well advertised and sold
at the present time:
Many of these foods have been
prepared in an excellent manner,
placed in clean boxes, and are attract.
i've to the consumer. The breakfast
foods are regarded by many as very
expensive form Of food material, while
others considering the palatableness
Of these preparations and the amount
of milk and sugar consumed as part
of the meal, say that they are eco
nomical when everything is consid-
cred.
''It must be confessed that to the
average purchaser the packages are
very attractive, and the statements
claiming that these products possess
peculiar and extraordinary properties
read something like the claims made
for patent medicines. The prepara-
tions are extensively advertised, and
one would be surprised at the short
time that many Of the brands remain
on the market. II is probable that
the names Of many of the products
are changed repeatedly in order to
attract the public attention. The
dealer who handles these preparations
does not receive a very large amount
of profit. In many cases they are sold
at cost by the groceryman.
"In classifying the breakfast foods
We may divide them into two classes;
"First-The prepared foods, re
quiring no preparation for the table.
"Second-The uncooked breakfast
foods which must be prepared for the
table before serving.
'Some Of the other food products
may be grouped in another class as
miscellaneous products
"'These foods may bo found either
as flakes or in a granulated form. The
fakes occupy large space for com
paratively a email weight OF material,
while those in the granulated form
are moro condensed. The fakes tend
to lose their crispness after a short
time which is Objectionable TO many.
"The cost of these foods varies from
10 to 1914 cents per pound for the
cooked foods TO 6 to ~ cents for the
uncooked. The materials OF which
they are composed are wheat, oats,
rye, barley and Indian corn"
Professor weems states in detail the
"claims" made by tho manufacturers
Of some IS or 20 Of the common break
fast foods. of which the following arc
fair samples;
e. contains neither starch nor
glucose.
&c. is the only food containing
all the elements in their proper pro
portions necessary 10 support tho hui
man systematic phosphaates or brain
makers, the nitrites or muscle-makers,
the carbonates or heatmakers.
"- combines the well known
food value Of wheat and the medicinal
virtues Of malt. It is perfect food
natures own tonic"
And here is another;
"-- contains tho whole Of the
wheat scientifically combined with
barley malt, furnishing the maximum
Of nourishment without burdening the
digestion. 1t slips into the tissues and
makes bone and muscles almost as
soon as eaten. Instead Of imPairing
Il restores the weak digestion by fur
nishing IL with an easy food, and by
its constant use in tho habit Of good
digestion is established and main
tanned"
Professor Weems says that the
statements Of tho manufacturers OF
As TO the quantity required for meal
the statement Of one manu-
faeturer as 20 the number Of "meals"
In a package, he discovers
hat each "meal" would bo dx-
,evonths Of an ounce, when, as mat
,er OF fact, II would require two'thirds i
# a pound Of any one to furnish meal 1
,or one adult. He says;
'sThe other claims made by the