W—Lancaster Farming, Saturday. Feb. 22, 1975
Food - What’s
Behind
The Label
Years ago when many families, baked their own bread,
churned their own butter and butchered their own animals
for meat, there was little need for outside inspection and
grading of the food, for each family was responsible for
the purity and grade. If problems occurred, it was also the
family’s responsibility to find out just what might have
happened.
However, as industry swept the country, more people
depended on others not only to raise food for their con
sumption but also to process it into edible forms. As
processed food became more and more required and
available, the need for assurance of quality and purity
seemed evident. Not until the early 20th century however
and the investigative reports of the muckracking novelists
such as Upton Sinclair did the government begin to in
tervene in the food processing industry.
Since that time, many laws have been passed both on
the national and state level to control and inspect the
quality of processed foods and meats insuring the best
quality for the American consumer.
In the past decade consumers have voiced many
complaints concerning the American food industry and
have encouraged even more detailed anaylsis of just
products are being used in processed foods and the
nutritional value of such.
Thus, not only have the supermarkets changed in ap
pearance today but also the containers, bottles and
packages that our food comes in. On many labels are now
found the list of ingredients, inspection or grade
notifications, nutritional values of the ingredients and
even some forms of unit pricing.
For the average shopper, many of these markings are
somewhat confusing and often ignored since they seem
irrevelant to the food itself; however, much of the in
formation on the label does serve a useful purpose and
once understood can aid the consumer in insuring they
have purchased a fresh and quality tasted product or food.
One of the most common and frequently noticed of all
information on foods is the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) grade shields. The shields are mostly
found on meat such as lamb, turkey, beef, poultry and also
on butter and eggs. It appears only on those foods that are
officially graded according to the Federal grades of
quality.
Country
Corner
Stuck in the same old rut of everyday living? Why
not try something a little different for a change. The
Pennsylvania State University offers a host of
correspondence courses in agriculture, family
living and community development Whether you'd
like to study sheep management, flower arranging
or personal grooming - the College of Agriculture
offers a host of courses suited to a variety of needs
For more information on the courses offered
write to Correspondence Courses, 307 Agricultural
Administration Building, Pennsylvania State
University, University Park, Pa 16802.
Today more than ever before there are more and
more pets, which means that your local
veterinarian may not have as much time to spend
with your individual pet as he once did.
As a pet owner you should be willing to take on
some of the responsibility of pet care once
delegated only to the veterinarian.
For example if you own a dog why'Viot try learning
some simple techniques to care for the animals.
Have your veterinarian or a qualified person teach
you how to trim your dog’s nails, and bath and clip
the animal.
These procedures will give youjj veterinarian and
his assistants more time to care for sick and in
jured animals. The time you spend with your
animals will also help them feel confident and
relaxed.
by: Melissa Piper
Associate Editor
with: Melissa Piper
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Learn By Mail
Pet Care
Buying food might seem like a difficult task now,
but consumers should use all available methods
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Nutritional labeling on food packages can aid the
consumer by explaining in what amounts protein and
nutrients are contained in the food product.
Grading is not mandatory and is not required by federal
law however to be granted grading services, packers and
producers must meet strict requirements for sanitation
and cleanliness.
Federal grading began over 50 years ago and has
become quite widespread over the subsequent years with
many food processors using the services.
Under the USDA grading system, meat is classified
according to quality. The most familiar to most con
sumers is probably the grades of beef of which there are 8
ranging from prime to canner.
Poultry although graded is usually not sold as fresh
meat with a grade less than A. Grade A usually represents
a bird that is meaty and better than average in ap
pearance.
Another USDA grade familiar to most consumers is the
grade which appears on eggs. Eggs usually are graded
with the letters AA, A, and B which represents the quality
of the food.
Eggs graded AA usually have high rounded yolks with
upstanding whites that do not spread out. These eggs
should be used when appearance is important such as
fried eggs and breakfast foods.
A-eggs are similar to AA quality although thejr might
have slightly less rounded yolks and whites that spread
out further.
Lower grades of eggs such as B classified eggs most
frequently have thinner whites and flattened yolks. These
eggs are better used in baked goods where the appearance
is not as important.
Many dairy products often carry USDA grades with the
most frequent being butter. Butter graded AA is usually
the best quality with a sweet flavor and aroma and a
smooth texture. The A grade is similar to AA but may
have a slightly less sweet aroma. Grade B butter often
exhibits a slightly acid flavor and is not readily used for
spreading butter.
Since many fruits and vegetables are sold wholesale or
as fresh items they often do not obtain USDA grades. If
requested, the processors may have the produce federally
graded according to color, size, shape and maturity. The
grade usually affixed is either Fancy 1 or Fancy 2 ac
cording to the quality.
Labeling foods has a three fold protection for the con
sumer. It helps to clarify the standards of identity set by
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); defines what
certain foods really are and what they contain and also
allows the USDA to define levels of quality.
Most food processors are interested in producing only
the best quality of food for consumers.
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Food Labeling
including the information provided on labels to
purchase exactly what they want.
To insure quality they often employ individuals to
participate in test panels before actual production of an
item begins and while it is being produced many com
panies have their own quality control personnel on hand to
monitor the processing.
The Food and Drug Administration has set up standards
to insure that processed foods clearly indicate what the
food product is while state administrations often inspect
the products for wholesomeness.
Labels must show the ingredients of the package
beginning with the item weighing tiie most, the net weight
of the product, the packers and distributor’s name along
with any inspection notices.
If a picture is used on the label, it must conform to the
product within the container. For example if a meat
product shows a certain number of slices or portion on the
label, the same amount must be contained within the
package. If any garnishes are used that are not in the
product itself, an explanation such as “serving
suggestion” must be indicated.
Often identifying codes that relate to the time and'type
of production are also printed on the label or elsewhere on
the package.
It is a good idea to read the label carefully to make sure
you are purchasing just what you what. A little extra time
is involved yet it may be very well worth your while to do
so.
Nutritional Labeling
Much of the food placed on grocery shelves today, bear
a chart outlining the nutrients and their values found in
the food itself. This trend came about only a few years ago
when consumers felt they should know just what
nutritional qualities were contained in the food they were
purchasing.
Not only does nutritional labeling alow consumers to
know what amount of protein, carbohydrates and
vitamins are contained in the food but also gives in
formation on the calories contained in a serving.
Nutritional labeling is voluntary although any food
product which boasts extra nutritional values must label
their ingredients.
If nutritional labeling is used, the servings per unit and
the size of the individual serving is usually shown. The
United States Recommended Daily Allowance values are
also usually listed for clarity. Those nutritients listed
include protein, carbohydrates, fat (to the nearest gram)
along with vitamins A, C, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin,
calcium and iron. These nutrients are shown as a per
centage of the United States Recommended Daily
Allowance.
Unit Pricing
Other standards or markings which may appear on food
often include unit pricing and open dating.
(Continued on Pane 391
To insure health in the family, wash ail utensils and
cutting boards thoroughly with a hot sudsy water
solution especially after contact with raw meat and
poultry.