REPORT OF THE SECRETARY, 81 



one of the chill rooms of a refrigerated warehouse, the birds showing, 

 even to a casual observer, the difference in condition due to different 

 modes of handling. 



The studies of the handling of eggs and the preparation of the 

 frozen and desiccated products are proceeding along lines similar 

 to those followed in the poultry investigation, but as yet they are in 

 an incipient stage. The frozen-egg investigation has met with the 

 hearty support and cooperation of the progressive men of the in- 

 dustry. Everyone familiar with weather conditions and egg handling 

 as at present conducted in the Central West knows that the waste 

 of this most valuable foodstuff is appalling. It is imperative, in the 

 face of the growing shortage of our food supply, that this waste 

 be lowered by every means possible. Many eggs wholesome when 

 received by the shipper are rotten after the long railroad haul to the 

 center of consumption. Such eggs should have been wholesomely con- 

 served for food, and, on the other hand, eggs which have deteriorated 

 below the food line must not be packed for food purposes by the 

 careless, incompetent, or greedy packer. This, like the general poul- 

 try and egg handling problem, is a problem of, first, scientific in- 

 vestigation, and, second, practical education and application of 

 scientific principles. The present efforts are "breaking prairie" in 

 the broad expanse of work to be done on the betterment and con- 

 servation of perishable animal products. So far the results have 

 amply upheld the methods used. The plans for future work are com- 

 prehensive, and because of a growing understanding of the problems 

 to be met and the methods available the results to come should be 

 increasingly valuable, both economically and from the standpoint of 

 public health. 



FRUIT PRODUCTS. 



Economic studies on the utilization of surplus fruit juices and the 

 yields obtained by preparing the juices of various fruits in different 

 ways have been made in collaboration with the Bureau of Plant 

 Industry on a scale rendering the results commercially practicable. 

 Special points considered were the effect of sterilization on the flavor 

 of citrus fruits, the preparation of dried sugared pineapples on a 

 large scale, and a laboratory investigation of the ripening of per- 

 simmons without softening, which is to be extended to field work, 

 since the results indicate that instructions for commercial processing 

 may be given which will greatly increase the market for this fruit. 

 The studies on fruit respiration have included this year the effect of 

 temperature on vital processes, the results being of economic value 

 in their bearing on the storage and transportation of fruit. 



231G5°— AGB 191 1 6 



