Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-08
FOOD AND HEALTH
By WlNIFRED STUART GIBBS.
Food Specialist.

"The quality group" in the magazine
world, why not in the food world Of
course food manufactures and dis
tributerS are ever on the alert TO
maintain quality in their products, but
does the consumer always realize just
what quality means as applied TO food
stuffs and what it's effect is on health?
Furthermore, who among us is abSo-
lutely clear as to all the factors that
go to the production of quality? What
is necessary beside the initial selection
Of first grade products? Can the CON
sumner do anything to help?
The consumer, otherwise you and
members Of your family, can do much.
You can, be your intelligent knowl-
edge of the subject, prove that you
know what you are talking about and
this in itself is a help toward the
establishment of high standards.
What are some of the elements that
enter into the formulating of the in
formation likely to prove most practi-
cal?
Training of the individual taste
comes first. The person who can
detect the difference in favor, or
more accurately, the absence of ap-
petlZinSneSS, certain to characterize
dishes composed of inferior materials,
is the one who can talk most con-
is to help in the establishing and the
maintenance of proper food stand
ards.
Such a condition as that indicated
need not by any means arise solely
when foodstuffs are in any sense
off color" Food materials that are
actually tainted. or in danger of be-
coming SO, demand more extreme
measures. Neither is il necessary to
n ct ~ viz II-E.
the trades as fancy grades" That
subtle something which pertains 20
quality food may be acquired by
attention to some such points as the
following.
First. the food should be of good
grade and in such condition as to
insure entire freedom from con-
tamination.
Second, the initial process carried
out in preparing the food for distribu-
ton should be handled by workers who
are OF Immaculate personal cleanli-
ness. Old stuff? Yes. but recurring
frequent repetition, especially in such
discussions as this. For, while it is
comparatively easy to convince the
average consumer that food handlers
must be free from disease germs. few
realize that there is "A stage and state
of cleanliness almost equally impor-
wholesome-that is. as far as actual
infection goeS-may lose that indie
scribable attribute known variously as
freshness" quality" and so on, if
II is handled by workers who are care
less about their hands, the cooking
utensils they use and the kitchens in
which they work.
If you don't believe it. try an expert
ment. Cook some cereal, let us say. in
a steamer that is scrubbed like the
metal work on shipboard Let the
water be fresh and actively boiling
See that the cover is shining clean
and the dishes in which the porridge
is served are cleaning. Tastes good.
doesn't it?
Now cook another portion. Select a
double boiler that, While not exactly
soiled, is Yet bit grimy and dull from
long standing on the pantry shelf Be
shade less careful as to the water.
and. in short, cook in a sloppy" way,
instead of in a dainty way, and see
what you get,
This is A somewhat extreme illustra-
ton. chosen for the purpose of driving
home the point that quality" depends
on other factors besides the hand
picked" variety OF the original food
tufts