558 



bushel of the different materials, but also the kinds and amounts of 

 the actual nutrients they contain and their fitness to meet the de T 

 mands of the body for nourishment. The cheapest food is that which 

 supplies the most nutriment for the least money. The most econom- 

 ical food is that which is cheapest and at the same time best adapted, 

 to the needs of the user. 



There are various ways of comparing food materials with re- 

 spect to the relative cheapness or dearness of their nutritive ingredi- 

 ents. 



A good way of estimating the relative pecuniary economy of 

 different food materials is found in a comparison of the quantities 

 of both nutrients and energy which can be obtained for a given sum, 

 say 10 cents, at current prices. This also is illustrated in Table III* 



PREPARATION OF FOOD. 



Uncooked. There are many kinds of foods eaten uncooked and 

 we will first consider what preparation, if any, is necessary for these. 

 Among these are fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried and smoked fish, 

 meats and milk. 



A German investigator, B. Ehrlich, having estimated by care- 

 ful experiments the number of bacteria to be found on market fruit, 

 tried different methods of washing it without injuring the flavor, 

 He washed grapes, apples, and pears that had been exposed to street 

 dust, each time examining the wash water for the number of bacteria 

 present. While the first wash water yielded large numbers, the 

 second contained only a few, and the third a negligible number. A 

 basin of water was used for the purpose, the fruit being moved about 

 in it. When running water was used, five minutes' time was allowed. 

 Fruits with a firm, smooth skin should be rubbed before washing 

 with a clean cloth to start the dirt. 



The cleaning of delicate berries is a difficult matter. Such fruit 

 should be purchased with care to avoid all that are too soft or 

 which show sand or other visible dirt. Strawberries, because they 

 grow so near the ground, should not be purchased after a rain, 

 which will spatter them with muddy drops. .Only the freshest 

 and cleanest berries should be served raw; more doubtful specimens 

 should be cooked. By immersing them in water a, few : at a time and 

 handling carefully, such fruits may be washed without WUch loss of 

 flavor.-^ (F. B. 375.) 



Dried figs and dates are very commonly eaten without cooking, 

 or even washing, and yet they have been exposed for, an unknown 

 length of time to the contagion brought by dust, flies, and dirty 

 hands. In how many houses are oranges washed before they are 

 brought to the table, or the lemon before it is sliced for the tea or 

 lemonade, or before the skin is grated for flavoring? Yet the skin 

 is often very dirty. 



In preparing such fruits as plums, peaches, etc., for the table, 

 the skin may be readily removed, without injury to the flavor by 

 first immersing them for a short time in boiling hot water. A silver 



