The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1914-11-14
USE C0TTONSEED OIL.
American Housewives Urged
to Become Better Ac-
quainted With the Merits
of the American Product.

| qualnted With the Merits
of the American Product.
The European war, according
to specialists IN the United States
Department of Agriculture, af
fords the American housewife an
excellent opportunity to become
better acquainted With very use.
full native product which has hith-
erto Suffered somewhat from a
popular prejudice. By using cot
toHseed instead Of olive oil Ameri-
cans can not only save themselves
money. but can benefit southern
cotton growers suffering from the
interruption of their normal ex-
port trade. In the year ending
June 80, 1913, nearly 100000, 900
worth of cotton seed products was
shipped to Europe. Much of this
was IN the form of cottonseed
meal, the stock feeding value Of
which to farmers Is not yet thor
Oughly appreciated in this coun-
try. The remainder Is in the
form of oils and fats used for
cooking and domestic purposes
Fhe latter class of products must
now, to a great extent at least, be
consumed in this country or not
at all.
Hitherto there has been wide
spread belief that cOttonseed oil
was used chiefly to counterfeit Or
initiate olive oil. TLis has IN.
questionably resulted in a preju-
dice which has done much to pre-
vent cottOnseed oil from being
judged on its own merits. AS a
matter OF fact, it is fully as nutri
tive as olive oil, aud, on account
of its bland flavor, is actually pre-
ferred by many, 1t lacks, of
course, the distinctive olive flavor
which many persons, especially
the Italians, find desirable. Ital
ians, indeed, are frequently not
satisfied with the flavor of the
hlghest-gr virgin olive oil, but
prefer the poorer product derived
from a second pressing of the
f.uit.
Those who prefer their food less
highly seasoned will fnd cotton
seed oil pleasant in French dress
ing or salads. In mayoDnaise
dressing, where mustard or other
condiments are used, the cotton
seed oil gives the dressing a rich,
creamy taste.
The great advantage of cotton
seed oil, however, is, of course, its
cheapness. 1t always has been
much cheaper than the best
quality of imported olive
oil, and now that the i'm
portatlon of olive oil Is interfered
with the difference in the price OF
the two oils will probably be
greater than ever. The lower
cost Of the American cottOnseed
oil is in itself strong argument
for it's more common use. An
other is found In the fact that I'm.
provements In the process Of man.
ufacture have resulted in making
the modern cottonseed table pro-
ducts very different to day from
those of even a few years age.
Then the oil was objected to be.
cause it was rather strongly fla
vored and dark colored. Modern
processes have removed these ob
jectlons, and now yield clear, rich
oils free from odor and mild and
pleasing in flavor.
In this country edible cotton.
seed oil Is manufactured almost
entirely in large establishments
which make use Of sanitary ma
chinery. In this respect the
American product differs widely
from the imported, which is fire.
quently made III small quantities
on individual farms, whose pro-
prietors rarely devote much atten-
tion to hyglenic considerations.
The original oil pressed from
the cottonseed by powerful by
draullc presses is a dark red. To
this soda compounds are added in
order to remove the free fatty
acids and also to take out some Of
the color. The remaining color is
removed by the addition of fuller's
earth, the result being an oil that
is practically colorless. The oil
Is then deodorized by blowing
steam through it or by means of
other special processes. The final
product is q liquid which, as far
as it's nutritive value gees. is
practically the same as that of
olive oil.
In addition to this fine table
product, much of the oil is nov
compounded with beef suet or
lard and in the preparation of sol
i'd white cooking fats and shorten
ing. These cottonseed and other
vegetable oils are also hardened
by a new process which enables