From "Science," New York: Seldom has a more timely book appeared than this, following so closely as it does the beginning of the enforcement of the new national pure-food law. For some time prior to the passage of this law public interest throughout the country had become vitally awakened to the importance of the pure-food issue. Amid a large mass of confusing and often exaggerated newspaper articles dealing with the subject, it is a comfort to find a book covering the field so completely, so sanely and withal in so interesting a way. While the manual, by the author's statement, is not especially designed for the expert chemist, and chemical terms are carefully explained for the benefit of the public, yet the food analyst will need the book on his shelves for reference. From the chemist's standpoint, the many tables and results showing the composition of the various food products are especially useful for comparison. In many cases also are given some of the latter and more improved tests for adulteration, which in some instances have not hitherto been so readily available. The book treats systematically and quite exhaustively of all the principal food products, dealing in turn with their manufacture, properties and composition, forms of adulteration and dietetic value, and including much information of a general nature concerning them. Beginning with the animal foods, it thus covers meats and the various meat preparations, fish, milk and its products and oleomargarine. Then follow the vegetable foods, cereals, vegetables proper, condiments, fruits, sugar, syrup, confectionery, honey, and finally infants' and invalids' foods. Though destined for a wide variety of readers, the book is apparently designed first of all for the benefit of the public, at a time when the public wants particularly to know about its food; and written as it is from a strictly scientific standpoint, yet in a popular way, by one who from long experience knows so thoroughly his subject, it will be widely read and to great advantage by the people as consumers. Not only does the author cover the ground directly suggested by the title, but in a general and useful way gives throughout much information about food values and the use of food for bodily nourishment. The colored plates illustrating the appearance of cuts of healthy beef, for example, will be found especially helpful to the householder. To the food manufacturer and dealer the book is almost indispensable, since it describes very plainly the methods of preparation and standards of purity, the effects of storage, and, in addition, gives much good and sound advice regarding what might be termed controversial forms of adulteration, such as chemical preservatives and artificial coloring, called controversial because their use with restricted labels has to some extent been legalized under some of the state laws, and because they have for years formed the subject of much difference of opinion among experts in food litigation. |