The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-05-06


will flourish wherever conditions
are favorable to their growth.
There are two important factors
governing food preservation. One
is the maintenance of a constant
temperature Of from 40 to 50 de-
grees Fahrenheit-under no cir
cumstances should food be stored
at a temperature higher than 50
degrees, or bacteria will multiply
so rapidly as to make it unsafe
to eat. The other Is to maintain
the proper degree Of moisture in
the air--neither too much, which
encourages the growth Of micro
organisms, nor too little, which
dehydrates fruits and vegetables.
Appearances Of Food
May Be Deceptive
The great danger Of food that is
improperly stored is that it may
become spoiled without advertis-
ing that fact. Appearance is sell
dom a reliable guide and unless
your refrigerator is efficient, food
may become unfit for c0nsump-
ton before spoilage can be noted
by sight, taste or smell.
All types of protein foods harbor
bacteria which multiply rapidly at
temperatures higher than so de-
grees. Under favorable conditions
of moisture and temperature. bac-
terra double their number every 20
to 80 minutes, and single bacte-
rum can produce a million bac-
terra in Is hours.
Safeguard ChiIdren's Milk
Milk is the most perishable Of
all foods, because it is an ideal
medium for bacterial growth. II
this master food is to be kept safe
for children, it must be stored at
temperature not higher than As
degrees.
Careful studies show that there
is very little increase in bacteria
when milk is held for as long as
48 hours at a temperature of 40
degrees. But when the temporal
ture was allowed to rise to so
degrees, almost 80 times as many
bacteria developed, and at so de-
grees, the bacteria multiplied
more than 5000 times in the same
period.
Foods That Spoil Easily
The rapid multiplication of bac-
terra also occurs in other foods
having high protein content. in
Guiding meat, meat broths, fish,
gelatin, custards, creamed foods,
peas and beans. 1t is important
that all these foods, as well as
milk, be kept in the coolest part
of the refrigerator, as few de-
grees in temperature make a
great deal of difference in pre-
venting spoilage.
Once food has begun to deteri-
crate, it must be discarded or it
may endanger health. Cooking
will not make spoiled foods fit for
consumption.
How TO Prevent Mold
Molds are another form of spoil
age that the homemaker must
constantly battle. Mold will grow
on almost any substance, but is
particularly likely to occur on acid
foods, as lemons, oranges, .toma-
toes and berries; on neutral foods,
such as bread and meat; on
sweets, notably jellies and pre-
serves, and on salty foods, includ-
ing ham or bacon.
Molds may develop quickly or
slowly, depending upon the tenn
perature and degree Of moisture.
They thrive under the influence Of
warmth and moisture and may re-
main invisible to the naked eye
for as long as So hours. All molds
are white at first, but as they ma
ture they change color, becoming
blue, red, or assuming various
shades of brown.
To the bacteriologist, these col
ors have different meanings. To
the homemaker, they all tell the
same story-that through inn
proper storage food has lost its