El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-11-15

i, to time set up fy-by-night concerns
that soon are killed by their own
( cupidity, it remains a fact that the
average canning factory, a member
OF the National association. IS avail
ing Itself OF the best and most modern
methods that can be devised by prsc-
teal experts. psychologists and
chemical engineers
Packers Make RFEid Tesla
The packers, knowing that their
goods must be sterilized, and that in
non-acid products double sterilization
must be employed to kill first the
bacteria. and second the spores OF
Spore-bearing organisms. subject all
their products to a rigid laboratory
test before sending them out In the
trade A test room is maintained. into
which from each cooking a few cans
are taken, carefully marked, and kept
for about five days, in which time any
unkilled organism viii have had time
to develop The cans are then ex-
amined. both physically and micros-
copically, If anything abnormal is
found, the corresponding batch, which
will still be in good condition. is
located IN the warehouse and the
goods are destroyed or subjected TO
retreatment. depending or their con-
dltion and the cause OF the trouble.
This test room is maintained at a
constant temperature OF blood heat,
a temperature which gives the micro
organisms the best opportunity for
development, but which, OF course.
than in the normal temperature OF a
a storage room
BY testing finished products IN this
way, many irregularities have been
found and, BY arriving at the cause
Of all cases OF spoilage. many improv-
ments have been devised in methods
OF sterilizing. Thus, in some factories
Ii has been found that the cans had
been put in but never cooked, or else
they were taken out before thy had
cooked long enOught. To overcome this,
stop-clocks-mOst Of them automatic
have been attached to the cooking re-
torts and these clocks automatically
turn in and shut off the cooking steam
at the proper time. In other cases
where only a part OF a package OF
cans was spoiled. il was found that the
temperature was uneven, and this re-
quired the designing Of a new system
Of steam regulation and circulation
Danger Of aLeaEzs'' and @SweIIs.'
But even when the goods stand all
these tests at the factories and go
tut, they are not yet safe There IS
the danger from leaks" and "swells-'
If the leak is large enough to be seen
with the eye, there is no difficulty.
But sometimes a leak viii be so min
ute that it will admit a little bit OF
air and with it an organism which
will set up putrefactiOn. Then the
leak will be closed from the inside.
gases will be formed and the can will
swell.
If in the case OF non-acid foods the
swelling in the can has been caused
by the development OF spores. the
conclusion must be reached that the
can was not sufficiently sterllized in
the beginning. On the other hand. If
Tactic acid bacteria the cause of fer
mentation, are discovered, then the
conclusion is inevitable that the can
has leaked.
Many minute leaks are caused by
rust. the rust originating in the paste
with which the label was attached to
the can. This trouble has been largely
eliminated by the invention of a kind
of paste that win not cause rust
StiL the cans may be stored, either in
the grocery store OF in the home.
Prevention of spoiled hoods original
ing by the lack of care % the goods
after they reach the consumer seems
to be quite beyond the packers
power For their own protection con-
sUmers should store all canned foods
in dry place Of even temperature.
with good air circulation around and
underneath the pile.
So far as the scientists have been
able to determine. canned foods that
were put I'd when fresh and in good
condition. that have been properly
sterilized, packed in sound cans and
stored in dry places. will keep without
change for an indefinite length OF time.