Foods, their selection and preparation

Because of the many and varied factors affecting the market price of fats and oils, it is difficult to make definite statements regarding their comparative costs. It would be well to make a study of the comparative cost of fats in the laboratory. In general, however, margarines are less expensive than butter; lards are slightly less expensive than hydrogenated fats; and olive oil is more expensive than the other oils. Of the vegetable oils, olive is the least expensive to produce but supply and demand keep it high in price. The olive oil produced in California, though limited in amount, is less expensive than im¬ ported olive oils. Accurately labeled mixtures of olive oil with other oils are available at lower cost than pure olive oil. The price per unit of any kind, quality, or brand of fat depends upon the following points: (1) whether it is purchased in bulk or in package form, and (2) the size of the unit purchased. Lard and compounds (see page 143) often may be purchased in bulk at lower cost per unit than in cartons or other containers. They also may be purchased in various-sized cartons and containers. Usually, the larger packages mean lower cost per unit. In buying packaged fats the amount stated on the label should be used to determine cost in relation to content. The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act requires every package of food sold in interstate commerce to carry an accurate statement of the weight or volume of the contents. Fats are usually marketed by weight in cartons, pails, or cans, each containing a cer¬ tain number of pounds or fractions of a pound. Butter may be purchased by the pound or by fourths of a pound ; margarines [141] are sold in pound cartons; lard and com¬ pounds in one-pound, two-pound, threepound, four-pound, and five-pound contain¬ ers; and hydrogenated fats in one-pound to five-pound containers. Oils are marketed in bottles and tins. Bottles are used more extensively for olive oil than for other kinds. They may contain from two, three, or four ounces up to a pint or a quart. Oils are available also in half-pint, pint, quart, half-gallon, and gallon tins. On the wholesale market, some oils are avail¬ able in five-gallon cans. Nutritive Value. The energy value is ap¬ proximately the same for the different food fats and oils. Those containing less than 100 per cent fat, of course, will furnish fewer calories than those which are all fat. (See Table XXX.) The different food fats vary in their vitamin-A content and in the amounts of un¬ saturated fatty acids which they contain. (See page 137.) Since these nutrients are es¬ sential to growth and health, these facts should not be overlooked when fats are selected. Manufacture of Fats. In order for the consumer to make a wise selection of fats she should be familiar with the different kinds, know what they are made from, and how they are processed. Butter. Butter is milk fat which is separated from cream by mechanical agita¬ tion, called "churning.” It contains, in addi¬ tion to butter fat, a small proportion of the natural milk constituents and some water. If sold in interstate commerce, it must con¬ tain at least 80 per cent milk fat. Butter may be made from either ripened or sweet cream. The addition of coloring and salt is optional. Sweet-cream butter is sold both salted and unsalted.