Food Safety Systems

Should you be responsible for one or more kitchens in the busy and vibrant city of Melbourne, you would be sure to know that your clients have healthy appetites and an appreciation for the quality of food that is served. In these circumstances the hygiene and cleanliness of the food you serve will naturally be one of your main concerns.

There are many things to keep in mind when you are looking at making sure that your kitchen meets the standards that have been set by the health code, but the truth of the matter is that for even the most conscientious of kitchens, it can be easy to get sloppy.

All restaurateurs share a common goal; to provide their customers with an enjoyable experience that will have them coming back time and time again. Even just one outbreak of food poisoning could prove extremely costly for your restaurant and thus proper sanitation is an integral part of any successful kitchen.
  
There is also the fact that if you are careless with your sanitation you can, and most likely will run into legal difficulties. There are many things that you can do to help leave legal matters out of your life, and taking care of your health issues is one of them. Also keep in mind that it doesn't take much to ruin the reputation of even an established restaurant.

There are some very basic things that can be done to reduce the chances of a food poisoning outbreak at your restaurant. First, make certain that your staff are educated on matters of food safety. Verify that they are aware that spoiled food does not necessarily look or smell different from food that is good, and let them know that food must be kept hot or very cold in order to make sure that bacterium doesn't grow on it.


Storing food is a trickier task than perhaps first imagined. Cooked and raw food should be stored separately and all food should be covered. A firm hand washing procedure should also be in place requiring staff to wash thoroughly both before and after coming into contact with any food.

There are highly regimented laws aimed at ensuring that foods are stored adequately. For one, hot and cold areas should be separate. Meats must be kept on the lower refrigerator shelves so there's no chance of various juices dripping onto other foodstuffs. Most of these rules are common sense but busy staff can often become lax.

During peak serving times kitchens can resemble something of a war zone. It is important to ensure however that even during these busy times proper food safety procedures are adhered to. With well educated staff, streamlined, well enforced procedures will become habits and quality food hygiene will follow. To help create this streamlined environment it may be worthwhile to consult with a food safety expert. They can monitor procedures already in place and offer suggestions to help improve your restaurants ability to offer quality, safe food.

The untold truth about the food we eat.

Looking around the world, I see people without sufficient food to eat. I see people with all the food in the world but lacking the most essential ingredients. I see people starving to death quickly, and I see people starving their own bodies, … slowly.

In a world where it is ever so easy to supply everybody with the food they need to live a healthy life, they make us believe genetics are the cause of all those diseases and discomforts. With a, I can’t help it mentality, we go to the doctor asking for a miracle pill that will make up for things that we are responsible for our self in the first place. Un-balanced diets, physical inactivity, addictions and mal nutrition go hand in hand.

However, how many people really know how bad our food chain is at the moment? How many people don’t know that most of our foods are produced with fertilizers containing only 11 minerals and trace elements where the full spectrum has 92? How many people have knowledge about the base ~ acid balance? (pH value). How many people do you think heard about the omega 3 ~ 6 balance? How many people really believe that food is the best medicine to cure a disease and preventing them from becoming ill in the first place?

How many times we have been told; "If you eat a balanced diet your body gets everything it needs". And that, ladies and gentlemen is a big, BIG lie! It’s almost impossible to get the minimum amount of essential nutrients for the body to perform well. Ask people about aging and the answer you get will be; "You have to be lucky". When you drive your car without the regular service intervals and you say to yourself; you have to be lucky, that it won’t let you down. Silly isn’t it? Most people think aging comes with sickness and discomforts. The real reason is however; our immune system is lacking the most essential tools to do the task at hand. Instead of going to the doctor you better start using unprocessed whole food. Instead of giving the responsibility of your personal health to a doctor, you might want to take control of it yourself (?).

What I see in this world today in the supermarket is a food chain with at the most 20% non-organic whole food. The other 80 percent has a range from non-beneficial to a real danger for your overall health. Some foods get way to much credit to be named food!

What I see at the other side is the pharmaceutical industry that supplies us with medications that you don’t need if you know how to take care of your body. When you save money on foods you might end up spending it on the doctors bill.

I see people bring their car regularly to the garage for a (preventive) service check. The same people might be visiting the doctor after the facts.

I think our world isn’t meant to be this way, where company profits are far more important than the health of millions of people. The only way to reverse this collective thinking is for all of us to vote with our wallets. You and Me! Buying healthier food and cutting down our health bills. At the same time feeling much better and productive with a positive look to the future.

Worst Foods To Eat

 bad eating habits

Continuing in the thread of "bad eating," so far we have learned that there are MUCH better food choices out there that we could be making when it comes to feeding our bodies. Another prime example is ice cream. Ah, ice cream. What would summer days be without a nice pint of Haagen Dazs ice cream to finish off your dinner? For the sake of preserving my own sanity, I am not even going to bother listing how much FAT is in a pint of Haagen Dazs ice cream. I will only suggest that a healthier alternative to ice cream is non-fat frozen yogurt. Depending on where you go to get it, you can’t even tell the difference between good frozen yogurt and a pint of ice cream. If the idea of frozen yogurt doesn’t sound appealing, then consider having a sorbet instead of ice cream. It’s just as delicious without all of the fat!

Americans love their coffee, but at what cost? If you thought the price on a venti mocha was high, consider the price you’ll end up paying in the long run when it comes to your health. For instance, did you know that in one 20oz cup of Starbucks Venti Caffè Mocha made with whole milk and topped with whipped cream that there are approximately 450 calories and 13 grams of bad fat?! A healthier alternative would be to have a cup of tea, but for the die-hard coffee drinkers out there who absolutely HAVE to have that coffee, consider getting your next beverage made with skim milk and light whipped cream or no whipped cream at all. Or you can even downsize the cup.

Pasta is supposed to be good for you, right? It gives you a healthy dose of carbohydrates that you need to sustain you throughout the day, especially if you’re an athlete or semi-athletic and are just burning carbs left and right. However, it can be bad for you if you overdo or overdress it. For instance, most people eat white, enriched pasta with some sort of elaborate cheese sauce on top. Now, this might taste great, but it is most certainly not healthy.

A healthier choice would be whole wheat pasta with some sort of sauce that is homemade rather than store bought (remember our conversation about how a lot of store-bought items have extremely high quantities of sodium and other things that you can’t even pronounce). An example of a simple type of sauce that I make simply consists of canned tomatoes with a little bit of fresh basil and onion added to it. If you prefer a cheese sauce, look for low fat cheese in the supermarket and use that to make a cheese sauce- there are plenty of low-fat, all natural cheese sauce recipes online that take no longer than a few minutes to make and are cost effective.

Remember, eating doesn’t have to be bad for you; on the contrary, it should be a good thing. Just remember that when it comes to eating habits, you are in control of that ship; so whether you sink or sail is totally in your hands…or mouth, I should say!

The 10 Fullest Foods

Let's begin by stating that there are no "good" or "bad" foods. No food exist that can make you thinner or fatter because you simply decided to try it. But what is true is that there are certain types of foods that have to be consumed in larger quantities due to their low concentration of fat and because they are rich of nutritional substances, in comparison to those that contain higher percentage of fats and low percentage of nutritional substances.

The foods included in the following list were selected based on their nutrition levels and the amount of vitamins and minerals they contain.

 
White of the egg - Albumen: The white of the egg, also known as albumen, has the highest level of protein absorbency, scoring 3.9 out of 4. Of course, the egg's crocus has also a very high absorbency level due to the nutritional substances it contains. These assist in the creation of blood cells, brain cells, muscles and bones; mainly during children's development stage.

 

Dairy products: Excellent source of calcium and magnesium, diary products are considered essential for a balanced diet and the normal function of the body. Try to select those with lower levels of fat, since the amount of fat taken out through the factory processes is actually 98-99 percent of those harmful triglycerides.





 
Dry goods: A variety of flakes comes to mind when one mentions dry foods, such as oats, barley, wheat, soya, etc. Abundant in cellular fibers, these types of foods are vital for the normal function of the human large intestine.








 

Chicken and turkey: These types of white meat are the best possible choice one can make to receive proteins, which are high in nutrition value, and at the same time avoid the consumption of red meat that has high levels of fat and cholesterol.

 




Vegetables: The types of foods categorized under the culinary term "vegetables" are an exceptional source of trace elements that are vital for the activities performed by the human body, since they also contain a large quantity of cellular fibers. Fibers are useful for the movements performed by the intestines and due to their low amount of calories they give a feeling of one being full without adding weight to our figure.




Pasta: Whole grain pasta is rich in complex hydrates and at the same time an excellent source of vegetal protein. In addition, nutritionists include pasta in diet plans, since it is widely known that those who consume pasta are in a good mood.

Fruits: The "sweet" delight with the lowest calories. Since they include mainly water, the feeling of fullness they provide is not "guilty" of adding any inches to our waistline. Full of cellular fibers and trace elements, fruits are nature's sweet treats. Exception to this category is Avocado due to the fats it contains.

Fish: These sea creatures add culinary pleasure to our tables apart from having a high level of protein absorbency and low fat levels; the fats found in fish actually decrease bad" cholesterol and protect blood cells.

Brown rise: One of the best natural sources for minerals and fibers, rise is high in complex carbohydrates that are absorbed gradually and help the body balance its energy levels.

Father Of All Foods

  Alfalfa is one of the most beneficial foods given to us by the creator. Alfalfa is one of the richest sources of all minerals necessary for great health. Alfalfa is one of the earliest cultivated plants, used for centuries for feeding livestock. This probably is true in part because Alfalfa is easy to grow, thrives in many varied climates throughout the world, and provides an excellent protein-rich food source. 

The name Alfalfa comes from the Arabian al-fac-facah, for "Father Of All Foods". Its high protein content and abundant stores of vitamins make Alfalfa a good nutritional source for humans.

 Alfalfa is a leaf that has many health benefits. Alfalfa is high in fiber an a member of the legume group. The plant has been used to stimulate lactation. It is also use as a treatment for dyspepsia, anemia, loss of appetite, and as a poultice for boils and insect bites. Alfalfa is good for colon disorders, hemorrhaging, and promotes pituitary gland function. Alfalfa is popular in the treatment of menopause symptoms. Alfalfa is used as a tonic to address conditions relative to the kidneys and the reproductive system. Alfalfa has also done service as a musculoskeletal and glandular tonic. Alfalfa has a proven cholesterol lowering effect, possesses antibacterial action against gram negative bacteria such as Salmonella typhi, and it contains at least one protein with known anti-tumor activity. Alfalfa alkalizes and detoxifies the body, especially the liver. Alfalfa is used in treating digestive problems and with regards to heart health. Alfalfa herbal supplements can be used as an overall tonic because of Alfalfa's detoxifying effect related to its alkalizing nature. Alfalfa herbal supplements are a good source of: chlorophyll, beta carotene, calcium, and the vitamins D, E and K.

Alfalfa is often touted as one of the best sources of a wide range of minerals and vitamins. Alfalfa leaves contain flavones, isoflavones, sterols, and coumarin derivatives. Alfalfa is high in vitamin content, providing beta-carotene, vitamin B-complex, vitamins C, E, and K, and can be used as a nutritional supplement. Alfalfa is also higher in protein than many other plant foods. It is vitamin rich, with small amounts of beta carotene, vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6 and folate, and a substantial helping of vitamin K. It also contains a good range of minerals, with some calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc, and larger helpings of copper and manganese. Alfalfa is probably more useful as a source of easily accessible nutrients than as a medicinal herb. Alfalfa is an excellent source of most vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E, and K. Vitamin K is critical in blood clotting, so Alfalfa may have some use in improving clotting. It also contains trace minerals such as calcium, magnesium,iron, phosphorous, and potassium. This abundance of nutrients has made Alfalfa a popular tonic.

Many people advocate the use of dried Alfalfa and Alfalfa sprouts to enhance health. Alfalfa is used as to treat arthritis, diabetes, digestive problems, weight loss, ulcers, kidney and bladder problems, prostate conditions, asthma, and hay fever. Alfalfa leaf saponins have been shown to lower plasma cholesterol, decrease intestinal absorption of cholesterol, and prevent atherosclerosis. Alfalfa facilitates efficient ingestion of the entire nutriments found in it. Bean sprouts of Alfalfa are well known as preferable food plant due to their main components of fibers and vitamins which are said good for the human body. Due to its generally high nutritive value, Alfalfa could possibly help to prevent fatigue associated with vitamin/mineral deficiency or protein energy malnutrition in disadvantaged parts of the world. The antibacterial, antioxidant and antifungal properties of Alfalfa provide relief from arthritis pain and aid in healing intestinal ulcers, gastritis, liver disorders and cancer. In China, In traditional Chinese medicine, juice squeezed from fresh Alfalfa is used to treat kidney and bladder stones. Alfalfa has been used for digestive problems for thousands of years, In China, Alfalfa, has been used from thousand of years to cleanse the digestive system and to rid the bladder of stones. The root of Alfalfa is used to reduce fever, improve urine flow, and treat jaundice, kidney stones, and night blindness.

Alfalfa Health Benefits:

Alfalfa aids in increased energy levels due to its high nutritive value. Alfalfa may help reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels which can benefit heart health. Alfalfa herbal supplements have laxative and diuretic qualities as well as helping to improve appetite. Alfalfa herbal supplements can relieve pain associated with arthritis and bursitis due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Alfalfa assists with the treatment of urinary tract infections, and kidney, bladder and prostrate disorders.

The main benefit of Alfalfa is as a food supplement. The seeds and sprouts of Alfalfa are an excellent source of beta carotene and several vitamins including Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin U, Vitamin B6, Vitamin K, Vitamin D. Alfalfa is especially also rich in minerals including iron, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, magnesium and silicon.

Alfalfa is believed to have benefit on various conditions such as high cholesterol, menopause and poor appetite. In the old times, Chinese and Indian physicians used young Alfalfa leaves to treat digestive disorders. North American Indians used Alfalfa to treat jaundice and encourage blood clotting. In 19th century, some herbalists used Alfalfa as a tonic for indigestion, dyspepsia, anemia, loss of appetite, and poor assimilation of nutrients. Alfalfa has been found to reduce heart diseases and prevent fluid retention. Alfalfa acts as a tonic, stimulant, appetizer and diuretic, and can assist in the relief of urinary disorders, arthritis and high blood pressure. Alfalfa juice, as a rich source of chlorophyll, is useful in respiratory disorders and discomforts, particularly those relating to the sinuses and the lungs.

Uses Of Alfalfa:

- Alfalfa acts as a great alkalizer of the body.

- Alfalfa is a natural body cleanser.

- Alfalfa enhances the endocrine glandular system, especially the adrenal and pituitary glands.

- Alfalfa helps in eliminating retained water and carbon dioxide.

- Alfalfa also helps with alcohol, smoking, and narcotic addiction.

- Alfalfa helps in eliminating toxic chemicals and heavy metals (lead, aluminum, mercury, etc.) from the body.

- Alfalfa acts as an infection fighter and as a natural deodorizer.

- Alfalfa also naturally strengthens the body.

- Alfalfa is high in chlorophyll & helps in rejuvenating the blood.

- Alfalfa pulls mucus (catarrh) out of the tissues.

- Alfalfa may help in reducing cholesterol level.

- Alfalfa is a natural Remedy for Alterative, diuretic, antipyretic, hemostatic.

- Alfalfa helps in preventing heart disease.

- Alfalfa extracts with a lot of manganese improved the condition of a diabetic who failed to respond to insulin.

- Alfalfa had been used traditionally for treating infections resulting from surgical incisions, bed sores and inner ear problems.

Effects Of Alfalfa:

Although Alfalfa is harmless to most people when taken in the recommended quantities, but it may have some side effects including potential blood thinning effect. Consuming the large amounts of Alfalfa seeds may cause damage to red blood cells. People who have been diagnosed with lupus, or those who suspect a predisposition to it based on family history, should probably avoid Alfalfa.

Deadly Bacteria That Can Get In Your Food

    Thousands of types of bacteria are naturally present in our environment. Not all bacteria cause disease in humans for example, some bacteria are used beneficially in making cheese and yogurt. However, the prime causes of food-borne illness include parasites, viruses, and bacteria such as: 

1. E. coli O157:H7

2. Campylobacter jejuni

3. Salmonella

4. Staphylococcus aureus

5. Listeria monocytogenes

6. Clostridium perfringens

7. Vibrio parahaemolyticus

8. Vibrio vulnificus

9. Hepatitis A virus, and

10. Norwalk and Norwalk-like virus 

 

    Bacteria that cause disease are called pathogens. These organisms can become unwelcome guests at the dinner table. When certain pathogens enter the food supply, they can cause food-borne illness. Theyre in a wide range of foods, including meat, milk and other dairy products, spices, chocolate, seafood, and even water. Millions of cases of food-borne illness occur each year. 

    Most cases of food-borne illness can be prevented. Careless food handling sets the stage for the growth of disease- causing "bugs." For example, hot or cold foods left standing too long at room temperature provide an ideal climate for bacteria to grow. Proper cooking or processing of food destroys bacteria. 

    Fresh does not always mean safe. The organisms that cause food poisoning arent the ones that cause spoilage. Wax often coats certain kinds of produce, such as apples and cucumbers, and may trap pesticides. To remove the wax, wash with very diluted dish detergent and a soft scrub brush, or peel the best nutrients are often in the peel, however. 

    Foods may be cross contaminated when cutting boards and kitchen tools that have been used to prepare a contaminated food, such as raw chicken, arent cleaned before being used for another food, such as vegetables. 

How Bacteria Get In Food 

    Bacteria may be present on products when you buy them. Plastic-wrapped boneless chicken and ground meat, for example, were once part of live chicken or cattle. Raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs arent sterile. Neither is fresh produce such as lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, and melons. Foods, including safely cooked, ready-to-eat foods, can become cross contaminated with bacteria transferred from raw products, meat juices or other contaminated products, or from food handlers with poor personal hygiene.

Unpasteurized fruit and vegetable juices and ciders, foods made with raw or undercooked eggs, chicken, tuna, potato and macaroni salads, and cream-filled pastries harboring these pathogens have also been implicated in food-borne illnesses, as has fresh produce.

Poultry is the food most often contaminated with disease- causing organisms. Its been estimated that 60 percent or more of raw poultry sold at retail probably carries some disease-causing bacteria. 

    Bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Salmonella have been found in raw seafood. Oysters, clams, mussels, scallops, and cockles may be contaminated with hepatitis A virus. 

    If you have a health problem, especially one that may have impaired your immune system, dont eat raw shellfish and use only pasteurized milk and cheese, and pasteurized or concentrated ciders and juices. 

Keep It Clean 

The cardinal rule of safe food preparation in the home is: Keep everything clean.

The cleanliness rule applies to the areas where food is prepared and, most importantly, to the cook. Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before starting to prepare a meal and after handling raw meat or poultry. Cover long hair with a net or scarf, and be sure that any open sores or cuts on the hands are completely covered. If the sore or cut is infected, stay out of the kitchen.

Keep your work area clean and uncluttered. Be sure to wash the countertops with a solution of 1 teaspoon chlorine bleach to about 1 quart of water or with a commercial kitchen-cleaning agent diluted according to product directions. Theyre the most effective at getting rid of bacteria. 

Also, be sure to keep dishcloths and sponges clean because, when wet, these materials harbor bacteria and may promote their growth. Wash dishcloths and sponges weekly in the washing machine in hot water.

While youre at it, sanitize the kitchen sink drain periodically by pouring down the sink a solution of one teaspoon bleach to one quart of water or a commercial cleaning agent. Food particles get trapped in the drain and disposal and, along with moistness, create an ideal environment for bacterial growth. 

Use smooth cutting boards made of hard maple or plastic and free of cracks and crevices. Avoid boards made of soft, porous materials. Wash cutting boards with hot water, soap, and a scrub brush. Then, sanitize them in an automatic dishwasher or by rinsing with a solution of 1 teaspoon chlorine bleach to about 1 quart of water. 

Always wash and sanitize cutting boards after using them for raw foods, such as seafood or chicken, and before using them for other foods. Consider using one cutting board only for foods that will be cooked, such as raw fish, and another only for ready-to-eat foods, such as bread, fresh fruit, and cooked fish. Visit The Cutting Board Factory for a great selection of food-safe cutting boards. 

Always use clean utensils and wash them between cutting different foods.

Wash the lids of canned foods before opening to keep dirt from getting into the food. Also, clean the blade of the can opener after each use. Food processors and meat grinders should be taken apart and cleaned as soon as possible after theyre used. 

Dont put cooked meat on an unwashed plate or platter that has held raw meat.

Wash fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly, rinsing in warm water. Dont use soap or other detergents. If necessary and appropriate use a small scrub brush to remove surface dirt. 

Keep your kitchen clean and bacteria-free. Clean kitchen surfaces with hot soapy water using antibacterial sponges and soaps. 

The sponges themselves should be bacteria-free. Microwave them for about a minute to keep them clean and dry. 

Keep benches, cutting boards, knives, pans or other utensils clean.

Fifth Elements In Food

The purposes of food are to promote growth, to supply force and heat, and to furnish material to repair the waste which is constantly taking place in the body. Every breath, every thought, every motion, wears out some portion of the delicate and wonderful house in which we live.

Various vital processes remove these worn and useless particles; and to keep the body in health, their loss must be made good by constantly renewed supplies of material properly adapted to replenish the worn and impaired tissues. This renovating material must be supplied through the medium of food and drink, and the best food is that by which the desired end may be most readily and perfectly attained. The great diversity in character of the several tissues of the body, makes it necessary that food should contain a variety of elements, in order that each part may be properly nourished and replenished.

The food elements. The various elements found in food are the following: Starch, sugar, fats, albumen, mineral substances, indigestible substances. The digestible food elements are often grouped, according to their chemical composition, into three classes; vis., carbonaceous, nitrogenous, and inorganic. The carbonaceous class includes starch, sugar, and fats; the nitrogenous, all albuminous elements; and the inorganic comprises the mineral elements.

Starch is only found in vegetable foods; all grains, most vegetables, and some fruits, contain starch in abundance. Several kinds of sugar are made in nature's laboratory; cane, grape, fruit, and milk sugar. The first is obtained from the sugar-cane, the sap of maple trees, and from the beet root. Grape and fruit sugars are found in most fruits and in honey. Milk sugar is one of the constituents of milk. Glucose, an artificial sugar resembling grape sugar, is now largely manufactured by subjecting the starch of corn or potatoes to a chemical process; but it lacks the sweetness of natural sugars, and is by no means a proper substitute for them.

Albumen is found in its purest, uncombined state in the white of an egg, which is almost wholly composed of albumen. It exists, combined with other food elements, in many other foods, both animal and vegetable. It is found abundant in oatmeal, and to some extent in the other grains, and in the juices of vegetables. All natural foods contain elements which in many respects resemble albumen, and are so closely allied to it that for convenience they are usually classified under the general name of "albumen." The chief of these is gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, and barley. Casein, found in peas, beans, and milk, and the fibrin of flesh, are elements of this class.

Fats are found in both animal and vegetable foods. Of animal fats, butter and suet are common examples. In vegetable form, fat is abundant in nuts, peas, beans, in various of the grains, and in a few fruits, as the olive. As furnished by nature in nuts, legumes, grains, fruits, and milk, this element is always found in a state of fine subdivision, which condition is the one best adapted to its digestion. As most commonly used, in the form of free fats, as butter, lard, etc., it is not only difficult of digestion itself, but often interferes with the digestion of the other food elements which are mixed with it.

It was doubtless never intended that fats should be so modified from their natural condition and separated from other food elements as to be used as a separate article of food. The same may be said of the other carbonaceous elements, sugar and starch, neither of which, when used alone, is capable of sustaining life, although when combined in a proper and natural manner with other food elements, they perform a most important part in the nutrition of the body.

Most foods contain a percentage of the mineral elements. Grains and milk furnish these elements in abundance. The cellulose, or woody tissue, of vegetables, and the bran of wheat, are examples of indigestible elements, which although they cannot be converted into blood in tissue, serve an important purpose by giving bulk to the food. With the exception of gluten, none of the food elements, when used alone, are capable of supporting life. A true food substance contains some of all the food elements, the amount of each varying in different foods.

Uses of the food elements. Concerning the purpose which these different elements serve, it has been demonstrated by the experiments of eminent physiologists that the carbonaceous elements, which in general comprise the greater bulk of the food, serve three purposes in the body;

1. They furnish material for the production of heat;

2. They are a source of force when taken in connection with other food elements;

3. They replenish the fatty tissues of the body. Of the carbonaceous elements, starch, sugar, and fats, fats produce the greatest amount of heat in proportion to quantity; that is, more heat is developed from a pound of fat than from an equal weight of sugar or starch; but this apparent advantage is more than counterbalanced by the fact that fats are much more difficult of digestion than are the other carbonaceous elements, and if relied upon to furnish adequate material for bodily heat, would be productive of much mischief in overtaxing and producing disease of the digestive organs.

The fact that nature has made a much more ample provision of starch and sugars than of fats in man's natural diet, would seem to indicate that they were intended to be the chief source of carbonaceous food; nevertheless, fats, when taken in such proportion as nature supplies them, are necessary and important food elements. The nitrogenous food elements especially nourish the brain, nerves, muscles, and all the more highly vitalized and active tissues of the body, and also serve as a stimulus to tissue change. Hence it may be said that a food deficient in these elements is a particularly poor food. The inorganic elements, chief of which are the phosphates, in the carbonates of potash, soda, and lime, aid in furnishing the requisite building material for bones and nerves.

Proper combinations of foods. While it is important that our food should contain some of all the various food elements, experiments upon both animals and human beings show it is necessary that these elements, especially the nitrogenous and carbonaceous, be used in certain definite proportions, as the system is only able to appropriate a certain amount of each; and all excess, especially of nitrogenous elements, is not only useless, but even injurious, since to rid the system of the surplus imposes an additional task upon the digestive and excretory organs.

The relative proportion of these elements necessary to constitute a food which perfectly meets the requirements of the system, is six of carbonaceous to one of nitrogenous. Scientists have devoted much careful study and experimentation to the determination of the quantities of each of the food elements required for the daily nourishment of individuals under the varying conditions of life, and it has come to be commonly accepted that of the nitrogenous material which should constitute one sixth of the nutrients taken, about three ounces is all that can be made use of in twenty-four hours, by a healthy adult of average weight, doing a moderate amount of work. Many articles of food are, however, deficient in one or the other of these elements, and need to be supplemented by other articles containing the deficient element in superabundance, since to employ a dietary in which any one of the nutritive elements is lacking, although in bulk it may be all the digestive organs can manage, is really starvation, and will in time occasion serious results.

It is thus apparent that much care should be exercised in the selection and combination of food materials. Such knowledge is of first importance in the education of cooks and housekeepers, since to them falls the selection of the food for the daily needs of the household; and they should not only understand what foods are best suited to supply these needs, but how to combine them in accordance with physiological laws.