i.
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THE BATTALION
WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 1974
‘Additives necessary for quality food’
Despite recent consumer con
cern, food additives are necessary
to furnish the entire nation quali
ty food, according to one authori
ty.
She’s Mrs. Mary K. Sweeten,
foods and nutrition specialist with
the Texas Agricultural Extension
Service, TAMU System.
“Before a processor can use an
additive, he must present informa
tion to the Food and Drug Ad
ministration,” says Sweeten. “As
such, he shows a particular addi
tive will accomplish its intended
effect in food — and that the
Canned
research
firms in
law suit
Two alleged term-paper firms
have been taken to court by the
U. S. Postal Service in an attempt
to revoke the companies’ privilege
of receiving mail.
In non-criminal administrative
hearings, Termpaper Library, Inc.
of Washington, D. C. and Re
search Associates, Inc. of Los An
geles have been accused of violat
ing postal regulations. After
attorneys for both sides submit
briefs, a judge will rule on the
cases. If the companies lose the
decisions, and any subsequent ap
peals, their incoming mail will be
intercepted and returned to the
sender, effectively putting the
operations out of business.
“They’re advertising research
but actually supplying virtually
finished term-papers which only
need to be re-typed,” says a gov
ernment attorney working on the
cases. A federal law prohibiting
the seeking or receiving of money
through the mails by means of
false representations is the basis
of the government’s legal theory
in the Cases. In the alleged term-
paper cases, the law is mot being
used in the traditional manner,
as in the case of an advertiser
cheating the customer, says the
attorney, since the students pre
sumably know what they are get
ting. The companies “seek money
through the mails for a product
by which their customers are en
abled to falsely represent to the
schools that this is their own
work products. We used that
same theory, by the way, in Bos
ton last year. We had four cases
against four companies and won
with a resounding victory which is
why we decided to use our new
found power,” says the postal at
torney.
Spokesmen for alleged term-
paper companies contend that
their products are sold for re
search and the government must
prove that they knowingly sup
ply them for other purposes. This
proof is sometimes difficult to
establish, admits the government
attorney. “Our case is a little
stronger against the Washington-
based cbmpany because they ad
vertise that they never sell the
same paper twice on the same
campus. This is pretty good evi
dence that they know what the
papers are being used for,” he
says.
^upTnamba
• Eddie Dominguez ’66
Joe Arciniega ’74'
amount used doesn’t exceed what’s
reasonably necessary.”
Bpices, natural and synthetic
flavors, such as liquid derivities
of onion, garlic, cloves and pep-
perment, make up the largest
group of additives — flavors and
flavoring agents, she says.
“Stabilizers, on the other hand,
prevent oxidation and spoilage of
food.
“For years, people have used
salt, sugar, vinegar, heat, freez
ing, smoke and spices to prevent
or delay spoilage. Modern devel
opments brought preservatives
such as antioxodants, mold in
hibitors and fungicides on the
scene.
“Without such antioxodants as
BHA and BHT, baked goods—
and other foods using oils and fats
—would turn rancid in a short
time.”
Another group of additives,
non-nutritive sweeteners, are sug
ar substitutes, Mrs. Sweeten said.
They’re used in foods intended for
people who can’t tolerate sugar.
Certain additives actually alter
food quality.
“For example, bleaching and
maturing agents speed up the
aging process of wheat—improv
ing bread-making quality of flour.
“Freshly milled flour,” she ex
plained, “is yellowish in color and
makes poor quality bread.”
Although they don’t improve
eating quality, colors play very
important roles.
“People become accustomed to
a food being a certain color — and
refuse to eat it if it looks too
pale.”
Additives have other uses be
sides those mentioned, the specia
list added.
“These include hardening, dry
ing, firming, crisping, anti-stick
ing, whipping, creaming and ster
ilizing”
ROBERT HALSELL
TRAVEL SERVICE
AIRLINE SCHEDULE INFORMATION
FARES AND TICKETS
DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL
«\tAI tm
US
CALL 822-3737
1016 Texas Avenue — Bryan
Two TA
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to form tl
™ compa
fc)r. Be i
froup are
lining a
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Wture
Iny desij
in chemicJ
|The cor
o idea al
er, by r<
ifirnttiMi
If you want the real
i thing, not frozen or
canned . . . We call It
"Mexican Food
Supreme.”
Two Dallas locations:
3071 Northwest Hwy.
352-8570
2131 Ft. Worth Ave.
946-0645