Until about three decades ago it was customary the world over to cure
meats with condimental substances, particularly salt, vinegar, sugar,
and wood smoke. These not only preserved the meats but developed their
inherent flavors, while adding others that were equally relished by
consumers, thus enabling them to enjoy their meals without disagreeable
and depressing after-effects.
[Illustration: The old-fashioned way]
All at once, like a devastating avalanche, the wholesale use of
non-condimental chemicals tumbled upon the country. Why the avalanche
grew so fast may be gathered from a few lines on page 37 of the second
edition of Dr. Wiley's admirable book, just referred to in a footnote;
lines which deserve to be printed in italics, and which every reader
should engrave on his memory:
_The chemicals employed are those known as germicides. In the
quantities used they neither impart a taste nor odor to a preserved
meat, but by their germicidal properties prevent the development
of organic ferments and thus make the preservation of meat far more
certain and very much less expensive. By the use of some chemicals the
salting, sugaring, and smoking of preserved meat may be done with very
much less care, in a very much shorter time, and at a very greatly
reduced expense. For this reason the practice has gained a great vogue,
not as a means of benefiting the consumers, but rather as a means
of enriching the packer and dealer. Chemical preservatives are also
highly objectionable because they keep meats apparently fresh, while in
reality changes of the most dangerous character may be going on. They
thus prevent the display of the red light danger signal._
Concerning this last point the London "Lancet" has used another and
equally forcible simile:
It is by no means certain that preservatives in small
quantities can prevent decomposition. They do stop
putrefaction and thus destroy the signs by which decomposition
is made evident to the senses. Their effect _resembles that of
tying down the safety valve of a steam engine_. The advocates
of food preservatives seem always to ignore, or to be ignorant
of, the opportunity afforded and advantage taken of their use
for dirty and fraudulent practices.
These remarks are of the utmost importance, for they call attention to
the fact that even if the chemical, non-condimental preservatives were
not slow poisons, it would be necessary to forbid their use because
they enable unscrupulous persons to make foods of the most nauseating
substances. Let me quote another expert, who states the case vividly:
Milk, eggs and fish are three foods especially which become
extremely dangerous when decomposition sets in. The chemicals
placed in them by dealers destroy the offensive taste and
odor, thus robbing nature of her means of protecting us from
danger. Many little children killed from eating ice cream and
bakery products never would have tasted them if the smell and
taste of the rotten eggs and putrid milk had not been hidden
by the chemicals. The vilest, most malodorous factory refuse
may be made pleasant to the sight, taste and smell through the
magical effects of benzoate of soda, saccharin and coal tar
dye. The coal tar dye gives a clear, translucent appearance to
the product; the saccharin sweetens it and benzoate of soda
embalms it so it will keep for a decade without spoiling.
These disguised putrid foods are additionally dangerous in hot
weather.