The Health bulletin [serial] - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

July, 1951 The Health Bulletin 15does that picked early or late in theseason. Other factors, including varietyof fruit, degree of ripeness and conditionof the soil, also significantly affectthe vitamin C content of the freshfruit.""The danger of vitamin C loss," thereport continued, "is most hkely tooccur as a result of improper handlingor storage in the home. For example,if after reconstituting the juice is allowedto stand in open containers at roomtemperature, appreciable losses will occur.However, if the reconstituted juiceis placed in the refrigerator at 40 degreesF., vitamin C losses will be negligible.Ideally, the juice should be consumedas soon as possible after reconstitutingto obtain maximvun vitaminC value."In the same issue, a Journal editorialsaid in part:"When frozen foods are selected, preparedand stored (whether at home orcommercially) according to the best ofcurrently available scientific knowledge,they can compare favorably in nutrientcontent and flavor with the fresh product."Much of the loss of the water-solublevitamins and other water-solubleconstituents of vegetables preserved byfreezing, canning or dehydration occursas the result of the preliminaryblanching or precooking to which theyare subjected . . . Blanching in waterfrequently reduces the ascorbic acid(vitamin C) content of vegetables asmuch as 16 per cent. Such losses tendto be minimized when the blanchingtime is shortened by the use of boilingwater and the same water is used repeatedly.. . ."Another important factor in the preservationof vitamins and flavor is therate of freezing . . . Observers havefound that eight to 12 hours may beused for freezing without significantimpairment. This means the productsfrozen in home freezing cabinets canbe nutritious as those obtained by quickfreezing. The freezing time should notbe increased beyond 12 hours, however,because of deteriorative changes thatmay occur if the temperature is notdropped rapidly enough throughout theentire package. . . ."Storage at degrees F. seems quitesatisfactory, at least when the storageperiod is a year or less. Losses (innutrient value) become much greaterif the temperature is allowed to rise to10 P. or is allowed to fiuctuate betweenand 20 F. At these temperatures peaslose 50 per cent of their original ascorbicacid in one year and show colordeterioration."ISSUES WARNING ABOUT NEW,POISONOUS INSECTICIDESAnticipating an increase in the useof insecticides this season, the AmericanMedical Association editorially issueda warning about the poisonousnature of these products.The editorial, carried in the Journalof the A.M.A., pointed specifically totwo of the newer substances—aldrinand dieldrin. These, as well as the otherinsecticides, are expected to be usedwidely, especially in the southern andcotton-raising areas, it said.Aldrin and dieldrin are available ineither powdered form or as emulsifiedconcentrates. The powdered productscan be absorbed by inhalation, throughthe skin or by swallowing. The concentratesor emulsions also are readilyabsorbed by the body because of thesolvents used in their preparation."The danger of accidental poisoningby inhalation is unknown," the editorialadded, "but intravenous toxicity, whichis possibly the closest measure of potentialdanger from respiratory exposure,is three to six times that of DDT."Aldrin and dieldrin act primarily onthe central nervous system or the gastrointestinalsystem. Taken by mouthwhether by accidental swallowing oreating produce which has been sprayedrecently—they probably will cause nauseaand vomiting, hjTserirritability andconvulsions. The convulsions may ormay not be separated by periods ofdepression. Death may result.The editorial pointed out that noauthentic cases of chronic intoxicationdue to these two products have been