| Show What Army Eats Isn't Chow Nowadays GI Meals Must Be Tasty and Nourishing I Q Quartermaster Corps Tests Insure Purity And Palatability B By AL JEDLICKA Released by Western Newspaper Union Wherever Johnny Doughboy may be fighting today hes he's eating his fill of good nutritional nutritional nutritional food Whether its it's in the South Pacific Europe or the Mediterranean Mediterranean Medi Medi- hes he's finding his fare palatable and strengthening strengthening strength strength- strengthening ening maybe not quite like Mas Ma's home cooking but just what a fighting man needs to tomake tomake tomake make him fight hard If Johnny Doughboy Is eating well Its It's no accident Rather it is the result of careful scientific study of the quartermaster corps' corps I I tence research and development laboratory laboratory lab lab- oratory in Chicago which Is chiefly contributing to the army's conquest of food problems arising from different different different dif dif- ferent climatic and storage conditions conditions condi condi- throughout the world There was a time when the army wasn't so exacting about food when fares were plain and repetitious No farther back than World War I vets lost much of their enthusiasm for corned beef and salmon because of their constant serving But thanks to the sympathetic understanding of ol Col Cot W. W A. A Point who appreciated the value of a nutritional as well as asa asa asa a tasty fare for troops the army instituted a subsistence school in 1920 which spawned the research laboratory In 1936 When the laboratory was opened that year there were no indications that the U. U S. S would find itself in a world-wide world struggle five years later fighting in Jungles mountains deserts deserts des des- deserts erts and snowy steppes But when that day did come the laboratory I I U 1 A MAJOR on the Quartermaster Corns ll f ff I T. T r l t I ous foods such as navy beans bacon bacon hacon ba ha- con raisins plum jam and butter In a special testing box that can simulate either cither arctic cold or tropIc trop trop- ic heat was ready to undertake the vast task of adjusting the American soldiers soldiers' soldiers soldiers' sol sol- soldiers soldiers' sol sol- diers' diers food to the different embattled regions No less than 31 army officers and 61 civilians are at work in the research research research re re- re- re search laboratory laboratory chemists chemists bacteriologists bacteriologists bacteriologists and vitamin experts workIng working working work work- ing in approximately a half-dozen half different fields under direction of Col Cot Rohland A. A Isker In addition there Is an experimental kitchen for testing preparations and a dining room where help is served new food and asked to o comment on its ability In the absence of ot Colonel Isker who was on a mission in Europe Dr Jesse H. H White was in charge I of the laboratory and it was he who escorted this Western Newspaper Union correspondent through the premises A retired army colonel who returned re re- returned re- re turned to duty at the research laboratory laboratory laboratory labora labora- tory without assuming his old military military military mili mili- tary rank when the wars war's pressing events forced a need for trained men Dr White has been associated with the quartermaster corps since 1907 and always in the forefront of the drive for progressive dure Originally a meat inspector for the navy Dr White first undertook undertook under under- undertook took the study of canned fruits vegetables vegetables vege vege- tables and other items for the army and participated In Colonel Points Point's special subsistence schools Boneless Beef Although Dr White has been in on the whole gradual development of the army's scientific food program meat still remains his first interest and to him must go the credit forthe for the acceptance of boneless beef It was only after alter Dr Whites White's insistence insistence in in- that the army experimented experiment experiment- ed with boneless beef during the maneuvers of 1936 eliminating the poor and expensive cuts and wastes in the carcass In 1940 the army VARIOUS chemical and physical I tests test of food samples are arc conducted I constantly in the Quartermaster r Corps laboratories to determine their stability under differing climatic climatic cli cli- matic conditions and other influences that would affect their whole whole- went still further with boneless beef bee f under Dr Whites White's n I ing the entire carcass for roasts stews and sausages Though the tin conservation of space was a factor facto then it did not assume the tremendous tremendous dous importance it did with the outbreak outbreak out out- break of World War II U when the thelong thelong long supply lines imposed a severe sever strain on our transport system As a result of Dr Whites White's sharpness sharpness sharp sharp- sharpness ness the army achieved additional conservation of space through his suggestion for cutting pork loins in two and fitting one end in the slope of the other thus forming a single package of half hat the former size As a fruition of the effort to provide provide pro pro- provide vide a variety of food to troops three times as many meat Items have been developed under the direction direction direction di di- of the research laboratory than existed during the last war Before the war packers professed difficulty canning pork luncheon meat in large containers but careful careful care care- ful research overcame the problem Formerly the lard In pork sausage had oozed from the meat and collected collected collected col col- col- col around the walls of the can but this was also cor car Heading of off the inevitability I of complaints from a continuous s serving of Vienna sausages a coarsely ground finely spiced frankfurter frankfurter frank frank- furter was developed for variety With the extension of the fighting to the tropical climates preservation preservation tion of fats and oils have presented a difficult problem but under the direction of the research laboratory remedies have been developed Army Spread Most noteworthy of these developments developments develop develop- developments ments perhaps is the army spread 1 combination of ot butter cheese curd and milk pow pow- der It was produced following a search for a palatable fat to replace the old Carter Spread composed nf of f butter hifA- r and if f or u n 0 seed flakes which tasted and stuck to the roof of the mouth Although Although Although Al Al- though army spread has filled the bill for an appetizing fat it is of no use as a shortening or in frying Due to scientific methods in ill the preservation of lard and other shortenings shortenings short short- troops afield now profit from the availability of high caloric bis bis- The celebrated hardtack of old was nothing more than flour water and salt since no stable shortening had been discovered But through the use of antioxidants fats and notably lard have been so treated treated treat treat- ed that they would stay fresh and usable from six to nine months Working in conjunction with processors processors proc proc- the dairy products section of the research laboratory under Robert J. J has developed developed developed de de- de- de an evaporated milk with a concentration of 31 surpassing theold the theold theold old figure of 21 Of value to the army in the economy of space the new product should prove of equal advantage to women shoppers in the postwar world Advancements also have been made in the production of dehydrated ed cheese Previously sold primarily primar primar- ily to bakers for fillers spraying ying etc the cheese retains its essential flavor Lieutenant department also has been active in the preparation preparation preparation tion of vanilla ice lee cream mixes shipped in the form of dried powder to the various fronts where fruits or other flavoring agents may be added Sea Water for Baking Technologists in the research laboratory's laboratory's laboratory's lab lab- oratory's baking department are engaged engaged en en- in various experiments on cereals and other components of breadstuffs One experiment concerned concerned concerned con con- the sea or ocean water in the production tion of bread since there are many military baking installations installations in in- in the various war var theaters thea thea- theaters where fresh water Is limited After with ocean water provided from the country's coun try's eastern and western coasts it was discovered that the variation in salt content ol of ocean water was not sufficient to r require any change in the regular army bread formula other other oth oth- I er than the omission of salt Prior to the exp experimentation however the ocean water was treated with calcium cal cal- clum chun on the basis ol of 05 grams to 31 gallons of th the water against possible content of algae sea weed etc Proceeding on the principle that flour Is the most Important and the theone theone theone one indispensable ingredient to the production of baked products the quartermaster corps tests samples from each car offered before ac aCt ac- ac Made from either hard I spring or winter wheat the flour must produce bread with good volume vol ume grain and texture creamy white crumb color and pleasing flavor fla fin vor and taste according to Technologist ogist Paul V. V Holton Containing about 12 per cent protein and one one- j half halt per cent minerals or ash the army flour is enriched with thiamin vitamin Bl BU riboflavin vitamin niacin and iron One of the outstanding developments developments developments develop develop- ments was the production of a granular granular gran gran- granular ular dehydrated yeast for use overseas overseas overseas over over- seas because it will keep well for a year if ii under refrigeration of 50 40 degrees F F. F and show no appreciable j loss in baking strength if stored at 70 degrees or below for six months If kept at higher temperatures however however however how how- I ever the yeast quickly loses its I ity Other factors favoring granular lar Jar deh dehydrated rated yeast which is manufactured manufactured man man- In pellets and packed in two-pound two size moisture proof cans are its quick action during baking and its greater leavening power per unit of weight Canned Rations To meet the needs of our soldiers under the varying conditions of ot war var rations have been developed For instance when establishing a beachhead beachhead beachhead beach beach- head there Is no time for the preparation preparation prepa prepa- preparation ration of a meal The K ration which may be eaten cold is designed designed de de- designed de- de signed for such an exigency The C ration is intended for later use when the beachhead is established and the tension Is not quite so great The C ration which may be eaten I cold but may be made more palatI I able by heating the canned components compo compo- requires a minimum of ot pre pre- For scout troops or justI Just- Just fa the line a eating the in 10 I ration is preferable The D ration ration ration ra ra- ra- ra tion a high calorie chocolate bar is carried by the soldier to be used only in an emergency Each of these rations has been developed only after the most careful research They must be nutritionally adequate of excellent keeping quality at least six months under varying conditions conditions conditions condi condi- of climate easy to carry and palatable r One of the research laboratory's biggest tasks was in the improvisation tion of packing to suit the various climatic conditions encountered In early South Pacific fighting many different types of packages deteriorated deteriorated rated on the tropical beaches under under under un un- un- un der the elements of rain and heat Through careful research however er various protective coatings and waterproofing materials such as waxes were developed not only to guard against exposure on the the beaches but also to enable many of the packages to be floated ashore to facilitate unloading operations The laboratory has a cooperative project called the Guinea Pig Club of which every employee as well as every officer in the laboratory is a k j l lw I t- t w A t R.- R. t a aL L TilE THE FOOD on Maj W W. E. E Harpers Harper's Harpers Harper's Harp Harp- ers er's plate is equivalent In bulk to the condensed K uK ration which is contained in the little packages spread on the table member At midmorning ormid or mid afternoon samples of proposed ration items are served The tasters are instructed in the case ease of two items to choose the one which they prefer If only one item is under test the taster is requested to tell whether he likes the item or n m not t and why Figures are tabulated statistically statis and the popularity of an item may thus scientifically be obtained |
