El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-08-08

/ ton by the National Gamers associ-
/ alton will be complete about the first
| of September. Even before that time
it will be doing practical work toward
the solution Of the problems con-
fronting the Gamers and the public
dependent upon them for food. This is
the first laboratory ever established
in this country by any trade OrganiZa-
ton for the purpose Of scientific re-
search work The results of this re-
search will not be confined to the men,
bers of the association, but will be
published so as to benefit every 1ndi-
vidual Gamer and the general public
The work will pertain to the increased
! sanitation of canneries as well as to
the Improvement of canned goods from
the standpoint Of flavor and wholesome
ness.
In addition to experimental research,
for which the laboratory is primarily
established, a commercial department
will be maintained for the benefit OF
the association. For instance, a can
merry, having a large crop of peas to
handle finds that the new cans. which
do not preserve the peas They are
spelling a few days after being put up.
Thousands of dollars worth of peas
are involved and as they have already
been contracted for, the canning firm
must be the loser. A case of the peas
is shipped to the laboratory with a
statement of the difficulty. They are
submitted to chemical analysis and
within "a hours a remedy may be de-
vised and its details telegraphed to
the cannery. Thousands of cases OF
peas may be saved in this way.
The commercial feature OF the lab
oratOry is designed to be absolutely
self supporting The new institution
is in charge of Dr. ". D. Bigelow, for
merly assistant to the chief chemist
of the department of agriculture. He
will be assisted by DR.. A W. Biting,
formerly food technolOgist of the de-
partment Of agriculture.
Perfection Is Sought.
The establishment of this new in
stituiOn is a recognition, upon the
part of the Gamers, that the highest
degree Of perfection must be acquired
to fit their products for the food OF
the nation Instead of fighting laws
looking toward this end, the Gamers
are lending their aid toward their en-
forcement, thereby raising the stand
ard of canned foods The increasing
amount of canned food eaten each year
renders its purity essential TO the pub
lie health. Last year, the total canned
food value of the United States reached /
a value Of S157, 100000. A case OF
was consumed by every three men,
women and children in the country.
Tomatoes In the Lead.
Tomatoes form the greatest can
tomatoes were canned in the United
States last year, which is the highest
number on record over 100000 cas-
eS Of corn and about 5000, 600 cases
of peas came next in the amount OF
the canned products. These vegeta-
bles are each put up in a number OF
grades, and the consideration OF a
standard label which will enable the
purchaser to know just what grade he
is buying is matter to which the can
M r-Tr~ rT.-.1 lion
Nearly 1000 establishments are now |
engaged in the food canning and pre- :
serving industry of the country, with
out reference to what is being put up
vegetables, fruit and fish. The can
ming Of meats is considered a part OF
the meat packing industry.
No Tricks In Canning.
The Gamers laboratory, when its
work is once properly understood, will
do much to counteract the prejudice
against canned goods now existing in
the minds Of many people There are
no tricks in the canning trade as 1T is
being conducted in the modern Gamer
les. American canned vegetables and
fruits have no artificial cOlOring mat
ter. salt and sugar being the only pre-
servatlves now in use The ideal canned
product must possess as nearly as
possible the flavor Of the fresh article
and at the same time present an at
tractive appearance. The flavor is Sc
cured by taking the fruit OF vegetable |
just when it has reached its highest !
state Of maturity and canning IL as
quickly as, possible.
Modern mechanism is doing much to |
improve the canneries Of the world. /
Machines are planned with special IA |
ciltt1eS for harvesting as well as pre-
pairing the food for canning. Peas 1
are no longer cut and shelled by hand /
The vines are cut with a moving ma
chine A specially devised thresher re-
moves the green peas from the pods I
and another machine sorts them oc- /
cOrding to their size The Gamers
have five grades of peas, the grading
being made according to their size.
The quality Is the same and all are
equally fresh from the vines. The
small size which are sold as French /
peas, are more delicate and succulent, I
but the larger ones have the greatest
amount Of nutriment. The small peas
command the highest price but the
demand is greatest for the larger ones
Many Special Machines Needed.
A special set of machinery is requir-
ed for each vegetable String beans
require separate machines for string
ng, for cutting into even lengths, and
for packing them in the cans after the
blanching or parbOiling process. For
preparing corn there are machines
which buck the ears, remove the silk,
cut the corn from the cob and pack 1t
in the can. Tomatoes are first passed
under a special coring machine which
takes out the core without breaking
the fruit. After this they are passed
under the scalder and the skin is re-
moved by another machine.
Corn deteriOrates more quickly than
most other vegetables. It is rushed
through canneries with the greatest
speed, being handled sometimes in ton
quantities. One of the subjects Of re- ,
search in the new laboratory viii be
70 devise even a greater speed in the
process of handling this staple food / $
80 that its natural flavor may be even
better preserved Instead of allowing
p hours from the time of cutting until I {
he closing of the can, the time Of the I
process is to be reduced to six or eight I ]
hours if possible. This will call into {
,lay the highest degree of efficiency
nd the highest perfection Of mechan-
cal equipment
Enamel Lined Cans.
The most recent improvement in the
in can is the inside coating or lac
Iuering- A can so treated is known
o the trade as enamel lined Certain
ruits and vegetables contain acids
which attack the tin coating, thereby
ausing a loss Of quality and flavor