Putnam patriot., 1929-09-12

before il is eaten.
Recognizing all this, a number Of
national associations interested in the
betterment Of health and the proper
care of food recently formed the Ma
tional Food Preservation Council.
It's purpose is to try to spread in
the homes Of America the knowledge
which scientific research has develop
ed Of the proper methods of caring
for perishable foodstutfs.
Rarely Kept Properly
Scientists and physicians say that
under modern methods of production
and distribution perishable foods
milk. meat, butter, green vegetables,
fruits-are usually delivered to the
American doorstep in good condition.
But in perhaps the majority Of homes
this food, If It is not consumed inn
mediately, is rarely kept in accordance
with the scientific requirement of a
constant temperature Of so degrees or
less
Refrigeration often is defective.
Even with good refrigeration facili-
ties, food is often handled carelessly.
Bacteria multiply. Reduced vitality
and lessened efficiency, If not actual
sickness. are the result. The avoidable
waste of spoiled food is enormous.
Cause Of Food Decay
All this is undoubtedly due to lack
Of general knowledge Of what consti-
tutes proper care Of porishable food,
and of the consequences of improper
care.
The sequence of ideas which the
Council wishes to establish is as fol-
lows:
/. The reason why food decays
the growth Of bacteria.
9. The relationship between food
spoilage and health.
B. The fact that perishable food
can be kept properly only when il is
stored in a constant temperature of
so degrees or less.
4. The necessity for proper all
year refrigeration in the home, as an
essential to good health.
Micro-Organisms in Food
Scientists are agreed that the rea-
son fer food decay lies in the action Of
micro-organisms-living plant cells
so small that they can be seen only
with a microscope. These organisms,
bacteria, molds and yeast. are every
where, of eourse-in the air, in our
bodies, in the food we eat, Under IA
vorable conditions Of warmth and
moisture, they multiply very rapidly
by d:vision--one splitting into two,
two into four. With absolutely ideal
conditions Of propagation, it has been
figured that one baeterium could in
Is hours produce thousand million
descendants. If they are permitted TO
multiply rapidly In milk, in meat. in
butter. or any other food. they absorb,
or eat up, certain elements in the food,
causing chemical decomposition. Milk
becomes sour, meat putrid, eggs rot.
When it goes that far, of course the
housewife knows it. throws away the
spoiled food and the only damage is the
waste. But greater danger, because
il is not perceptible 70 sight or smell,
is the partial decomposition before the
food reaches the thoroughly damaged
stage, and the poisonous substance left
in ii as a result of its passage through
the bacterial digestive system. The
former greatly lessons the nutritive
value Of the substance eaten, and the
latter causes lesser or greater direct
injury, depending on the amount of
poison taken into the system with the
food.
Proved BY Research
Laboratory Investigations have dem
onstrated conclusively that the only
way to prevent or retard the rapid
multiplication of bacteria is by con-
slant cold. The Department of Agri-
culture, for example. said in Farm
ers' Bulletin No. 1907 that the tenn
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.