The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-07-11
Consumer Notes
Issued Weekly by Consumer
Counsel Division, A. A. A.
Washington, d. C.

Washington, d. c.
Telling The Quality of Canned Foods
In Ohio, recently, study was un-
dertaken to see whether quality of
canned goods actually could be- judged
by price tags Made by Ohio State
University and the State Agricultural
Experiment Station at the suggestion
of the Ohio Consumers Association,
the survey covered 43 different brands
of corn and 35 different brands of
canned tomatoes.
After comparing prices with the
quality of the canned goods as judged
by official graders of the U. S. De-
partment of Agriculture, the research
ers reached these conclusions.
"'When the goods "a consumer
buys) are enclosed in cans that are
sealed, rigid and Opaque, her uncer-
tainty about the utility of the con-
tents is even further increased. AS a
consequence she has come to rely upon
price as buying guide.
But we have seen that price alone
merits no confidence ;. We have OBJ
served also that brand names fire.
quently cannot be depended upon :.
Moreover personal familiarity with the
actual quality of competing goods is
out of the question for the average
consumer.
Therefore, the conclusion is newt
able that some other more dependable
means must be adopted to indicate
quality to buyer if she is to buy in
telligently and avoid wasteful and un-
economic expenditures.
Fully informative labelling holds
promise of real benefits to sellers as
we'll as to- buyers. Transactions
would be more equitable. Business re-
lationships would be improved. Eff
cheney would be encouraged through
the payment of premiums in the form
of higher prices for higher quality,
and imposition Of penalties in the form
of lower prices for lower quality. Dis
couragement and litigation caused by
unfair competition would be reduced.
All transactions in given lot of mer-
chandise would be conducted in the
same language, and all parties con-
cerned could be equally well informed
about the value of the goods.
x x X
Making Cakes With Lard
Some cooks agree that lard is all
right for bread and for spiced cookies,
but when it comes to using lard in
cakes, they steer clear Of it.
Recently home economists and food
chemists got to work with their test
tubes and ovens in the laboratories of
several midwestern universities to see
if they could find out how lard might
be used with good effect in cakes.
In the Iowa State College of Agri-
culture, workers discovered that by de-
parting from traditional cake-mixing
methods, excellent results could be OBJ
tained. One method consists in cream
ing the lard and one-half the sugar.
Next add the flour and milk Then
beat the other half of the sugar into
the egg until it is very light and
fluffy. Quickly add this sugaregg
mixture to the cake batter.
Lard keeps well (hydrogenated lard
best, kettle-rendered lard next best
and steam rendered lard next) but like
all fats it eventually becomes rancid
Rancidity, which comes from the
splitting off of fatty acids, is hastened
by moisture, air, light, or high tenn
peratures. Lard, therefore, should be
covered tightly and kept in a cool
place. Since fats absorb tastes and
odors readily, keeping lard covered
also serves to retain the original
bland lard flavor. While hydrogenated
lard keeps well at room temperature,
it, too, should be kept covered, like the
vegetable shortcomings.
X X r
Be Sure Electrical Equipment Is Safe
There is a safety standard which
you can rely on when you buy cleo
trical household equipment.
Approved by the Bureau of Home
Economics, it is the label of the I'm
derwriters Laboratories, Inc, a non
profit organization that makes safety
tests of electrical appliances on manu-
facturers' requests. The label does
not indicate quality Of the machine.
This organization is maintained for
service to examine and test equip
ment for hazards against shock and
fire, and does not rate one brand or
model against another" says the Bu-
reau Of Home Economics. IF this lab
oratory regards an appliance as safe
it will either label it or list it in an
approved list of appliances
When you buy electrical equipment
insist on seeing the list of approved
appliances if the underwriters label is
not stamped on appliance.
X X X
Picking a Peach
You can tell a ripe peach by it's
firmness and the extent to which the
green on the underside of the fruit has
turned to a whitish-yellow color.
A good peach should also be free
from blemishes and have fresh APP
pearance. If the fruit has a reddish
blush it still may not be ripe, since
color varies with the variety of the
neach