Service

USDA'S REPORT TO CONSUMERS

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE -OFFICE OF INFORMATION -WASHINGTON, D.C. 20250


August 1965 No. 20

FOOD AND NUTRITION

New Cheddar-like Cheese Has Fewer Calories, Made from skim milk,
a cheese recently developed at U.S. Department of Agriculture
laboratories looks and tastes like very mild Cheddar b -
5 to 7 percent butterfat. Cheddar usually has abou
This new cheese contains more moisture and more no a ilk
solids--thus more protein--than Cheddar. Whereas dar reqN1re
6 1/2 hours to make and 6 to 12 months to ripen, low-fal
cheese can be made in 2 1/2 hours and ripene4 in 3 m.ths. /
The new product has not been fully market tested, ~se eral
hundred consumers have sampled it at demonstrations ,
majority said it was excellent or good. 1

New Peanuts for Weight Watchers. Do you like peanuts, but dread
all the calories? You'll be happy to know about the low-calorie
peanut developed by USDA scientists. It contains 75 percent
fewer calories, retains its good flavor and high protein content.
It's not a new peanut variety, but just ordinary peanuts with 80
percent of their oil pressed out. The process is simple. Shelled
peanuts are put into a hydraulic press to remove most of the oil.
The pressed kernels become flat and misshapened, but return to
their original shape and size when soaked in water. Salt, sugar
and other flavoring can be added during soaking. After nuts are
dried, they are ready for eating. Preliminary studies show that
the same process can be used to make low-calorie pecans, walnuts,
almonds, and other nut meats. Several manufacturers are now
studying the potential for retailing this product.

FOR THE GARDENER

Himalayan Plants for Your Home. New kinds of rhododendrums, low-
growing evergreens, Solomon's seal, jack-in-the pulpit and other
varieties--all originating from the Himalayas--may some day add
beauty around your home. USDA scientists on a plant exploration
expedition in the Himalayas recently brought back 195 collections
of what they believe may have promise as ornamentals in the United
States. The plants were gathered at elevations of 8,000 to 12,500
feet, in areas never before worked by American plant collectors.
The scientists consider this a particularly important find because
some of the species may be hardier than those now growing in the
United States.





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MARKET FACTS

Pick the Plentifuls. Fresh plums, grapes, broiler-fryers and frozen concen-
trated orange juice are on the USDA plentiful list for August. Eight per-
cent more broiler-fryers will be on the market than last year. Generous plum
supplies for July and August are largely a result of a California crop about
38 percent above average.

Modern Wholesale Markets Cut Food Costs. Construction of large, modern whole-
sale food distribution centers in over 60 major U.S. cities is expected to
save American consumers millions of dollars, report U.S. Department of Agri-
culture economists. Sixteen of these markets already have been completed,
providing savings of about $11 million a year to consumers and marketing
firms. These modern markets are replacing antiquated facilities that cause
waste, spoilage and congestion--inefficiency that is reflected in retail food
prices. Out of each consumer food dollar, 63 cents now goes to pay the
marketing bill. Cities where efficient markets are under construction or
soon will be are New York, Boston, Cleveland, Knoxville, Milwaukee, New
Bedford, Springfield, Mass., Pittsburgh, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Annual
savings from these additional markets are expected to be $28 million. New
markets are also planned for 38 other cities.

Say It With Flowers...The Easy Way. Sprays of orchids and nosegays for the
bride, a bouquet from a girl's best beau, a carnation for a man's lapel, or
a flowering plant for Mother's day--for these occasions and many others,
nearly 75 percent of all flowers are sold by telephone, usually to an unknown
voice. Fortunately for the florist and creditors, the customers do pay. A
USDA study of 46 florist firms showed that only one percent of the customer
debt had to be written off as noncollectable. Besides providing easy credit,
the average florist keeps his shop open for nine to ten hours, six days a
week, and usually has made arrangements to take orders after the shop has
closed.

NEW PUBLICATIONS

Battling the Bugs. From kitchen to closet to basement and beyond, insects can
be a year-round problem in the home, calling for constant vigilance--and a
chemical weapon or two. Which chemicals should be used against which pests?
What are the safest, most effective methods of application? These questions
and others are answered in Your Home & Safe Use of Pesticides, a new 4-page
USDA fact sheet. For a single free copy, send a postcard request to Office
of Information, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250.

Pale Plants...Are They Iron Deficient? People with iron deficient blood some-
times look pale. Iron deficient plants may look pale too. It's a condition
called iron chlorosis. Leaves become blanched or yellow. Mildly affected
plants become unsightly and grow poorly. Severely affected plants fail to
grow, flower, or fruit. Sometimes they die from lack of iron. Iron Defi-
ciency in Plants: How to Control It in Yards and Gardens, a new USDA bulletin,
gives seven full pages of helpful information about this problem in plants.
For a single free copy, send a postcard request to Office of Information,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250.






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OPPORTUNITIES

Ideal Career for the Young College Girl. A critical shortage of home econ-
omists now exists, reports USDA. Only 10,000 home economics degrees were con-
ferred last year, but nearly 16,000 are needed each year to fill new or vacant
positions. For the young girl thinking of marriage and a career too, home
economics may be an ideal choice. She'll learn about caring for the family
and home and she can have a professional career in which the pay is good.
Fifty-eight percent of the home economists in the American Home Economics
Association earn more than $5,500 annually. This is $600 more per year than
median full-time salary of women in professional and technical occupations.

New Water Supplies for Economic Growth. Power for industrial growth is
available in most parts of the country, but another important resource--
water--is not. To improve water systems and supplies in small towns, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture has made over 900 loans in 38 States since 1961.
In the past fiscal year alone, 383 loans were made. A small community that
wishes to develop its water system should apply for a loan from the Farmers
Home Administration of USDA.

New Recreation Land for City People. Nearly 77 percent of the Nation's public
recreation land is in the West or Alaska, hardly convenient for people in
cities of the eastern half of the country. Where can these city people go
for outdoor recreation? U.S. farmers have responded to help provide a better
answer to this question. With assistance from the U.S. Department of Agricul-
ture, 27,000 farmers and other rural landowners since 1962 have established
new public recreation areas. Many are now stocked with game for hunting and
fishing this fall. Check with your State Department of Agriculture or
Tourism, or with local county agricultural agents, for information on your
nearest farm recreation areas.

NEW PRODUCTS

Low-Cost Lace Gets Expensive Look. A process used for making the "conforming"
bandage can now be used to give a richer, heavier, more three-dimensional
appearance to inexpensive lace. It is especially suitable for fitted slips,
foundation garments, and lounging or sleeping apparel, which must be comfort-
able as well as attractive. The process, which was developed by USDA
scientists, consists of soaking woven lace in a solution of sodium hydroxide.
This causes the fibers to swell and crimp, giving the fabric stretchability
and a more attractive appearance.

A Water Still for Survival. Using the two most abundant resources of the des-
ert--sun and soil--USDA scientists have developed a "solar still" for emergency
water. Materials needed are only a sheet of clear plastic film 6 feet square
and a cup. To make the still, dig a bowl-shaped hole in the soil 40 inches in
diameter and 20 inches deep. Place the cup in the center of the hole. Cover
the hole with the plastic sheet, holding it in place with soil around the
edges. Place a rock in the center of the plastic to weight it down and form an
inverted cone. The plastic sheet should follow the hole contour, but not touch
the soil. Water evaporating from the soil will condense on the underside of
the plastic, run to the point of the cone and drip into the cup. Two or three
pints of water can be obtained daily, even from dry appearing soil. Put cut
pieces of cacti under the plastic to increase water yield.




UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
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3 1262 08740 0312
BEWARE!

Think Danger!--On Seeing the Red & Orange Triangle.
Construction, highway, and farm equipment moving at
20 mph or less on highways are 100 times more likely ..p
to be hit than cars going 65 mph, U.S. Department 0 41
of Agriculture reports. How do you avoid these* *
hazards? Many slow vehicles now display a 16- by p 0
14-inch triangular emblem. It is flourescent a 0
yellow-orange in the center and reflective dark- 0* *
red on the outside border. It means slow down. a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Most collisions with slow vehicles are caused 0 0\\\ \*
because the driver doesn't realize how slowly s o 1 *
the vehicle ahead is moving.

Seven Pesticides Seized. U.S. marshals seized
seven pesticides recently, after the U.S. Depart-
ment of Agriculture charged that the products
were shipped in violation of the USDA-administered Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. The products were: Methyl Ester of Ana and
Mena, both plant growth regulators, seized because they were not registered
and their labels did not provide a proper ingredient statement and adequate
directions for use; Malcophene #11 Disinfectant Cleaner Germicide Deodorant,
because it did not kill germs listed nor disinfect surgical and dental
instruments, walls, floors, and other surfaces as claimed by its label;
Malco Wisteria Room Deodorant Spray, a sanitizer, because it was not regis-
tered and its label did not have the proper ingredient statement; Apco "75"
Rotenone Dust, because it contained an active ingredient (chlordane) not
listed in the ingredient statement and the label did not bear adequate
directions; Slug-Fest Kills Slugs! Snails! because it was not registered as
required by law; and Oderless Cento Disofex Bactericidal Deodorant Spray,
because it would not--as claimed on the label--disinfect the surfaces and
articles listed, control germs listed, nor reduce the hazard of cross
infection by bacteria and viruses.

JUST RELEASED

New Approach Proposed to Pesticide Residues. Registration of pesticide
chemicals on a "no-residue" or "zero-tolerance" basis is scientifically
and administratively unrealistic and should be abandoned,according to a study
made by the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council. The
recommendation was one of 11 contained in a report on the study submitted
recently to Secretary of Agriculture Orville L. Freeman and Secretary of
Health, Education, and Welfare Anthony J. Celebrezze. The report suggests
that the registration of pesticides for uses on foodstuffs should relate
more to safe levels of daily intake than to the ability of chemists to
detect smaller and smaller amounts of residue. For a copy of the 11
recommendations write to Editor of SERVICE for Press Release USDA 2204-65.


SERVICE is a monthly newsletter of consumer interest. It is designed for
those who report to the individual consumer, rather than for mass distribution.
For information about items in this issue, write, SERVICE, Office of
Information, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 20250.

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