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NORTH CAROLINA FOOD PROCESSOR

Vol. 1, N00 3 July-August 1959

Table of Contents Page

Acreages, 1959 - Fruit & Vegetables 1

Food Pack Statistics Needed in N. C. 1

Southern Peas (Edible Cowpeas) forProcessing 3

Where Will we Get Young Blood for theFood Industries 2

Items of Interest h95

Prepared'by: Frank Bo ThomasFood Processing Specialist

North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering of the University ofN. C. and the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperatingo N. C. AgriculturalExtension Service, Do 8. weaver, Eirector. State College Station, RaleighoDistributed in Furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 191).;o

Vol. 1, No. 3 .1- July-August 1959

FOOD PACK STATISTICS NEEDED IN NORTH CAROLINA

we need to know the size and stature of our industry, especially for fruit,vegetable, and pickle products packed in North Carolina° Recently a survey ofpack statistics for these commodities was started by your food processingspecialist.

As was indicated to those who received the questionnaire all figures reportedwill be treated confidentially in so far as individual plants are concerned. Wewill bulk the figures fbr each commodity and container size or Style of packoThus, the figures released to National Canners Association or others would carryno identity for an individual packer.

we sincerely hope you will cooperate with us in setting up a pack reportingservice through your Food Processing Specialisto

1959 ACREAGES - FRUIT AND VECETABLES

Hugh Bo Martin, In Charge Fruit & Vegetable Marketing Service reports thefollowing acreages for 1959 in Eastern Nerth Carolina.

COMMODITY ACRES COMMODITY ACRES

Lima Beans 1100 Contracted fbr ProcessingSnap Beans 9300Beets 260 Snap Beans 3800cabbage 9000 Cucumbers 19200Sweet Corn h800 Red Pepper 1800Cucumbers 6000 Green Pepper 300Lettuce 1500Onions 700 FRUITGreen Pepper 6500Strawberries 1700 Peaches 10000Tomatoes 3000watermelons lh000 POTATOES

Irish Potatoes (early) 18000Sweet Potatoes (Eastern) 31000

In checking with various buyers on the eastern auction markets, they reportthat approximately 20 to 25% of the snap beans they buy go to northern processors.These same beans find their way back south as we. see them on the shelves ofsuper markets and independent grocers. I believe that this potential market shouldbe taken over by new or existing plants here in our own stateo

Vol. 1, No. 3 .2a July-August 1959

WHERE WILL WE GET YOUNG BLOODFQR

THE FOOD INDUSTRIES

F. B. Thomas

Requests for young men to be employed in the various foods industries

constantly come to our attention. The regrettable part of these requests is that

seldom are we able to find the adequately trained or experienced person for the

position. It is an educational crisis: it is an industry crisis: Where will we

get young blood for the food industries?

There are approximately 25 colleges and universities out of 2,000 to 3,000

which offer training in Food Technology. The bare facts are simple, enough young

people have not been attracted to this area of work due to a lack of awareness. We

all see the ads for rocket engineers, space research, engineers of all types, but

what about Food Technologists and Food Engineers. There are conservatively S to 10

or mor Jobs for each available person graduating in the food field. The salary

schedules are good and compare most favorably with other professional careers.

Creating this awareness in the minds of our high school pupils today should

be the starting point for our campaign to attract potential food scientists, to

our college campus for training in this rewarding area of work.

L. E. Clifcorn, Past President, Institute of Food Technologist has written:

"The food business is a massive and stable business. Here are some facts of

interest:In-terms of retail sales, it is a.$70 billion-dollars-aayear business.

The food market grows with the population, and the population isgrowing fast.

Research and technology are strongly supported by the industry; they will

receive increased emphasis in the years ahead.New foods, better foods, better and cheaper ways to manufacture foods

are not only sought by the industry, they are desired, even demanded>

by the American consumer.

This stable and progressive industry can offer you a secure and stimulating

career."

In Food Technology, Research, and Engineering, all over America, you can find

opportunities --In IndustryIn Government

In the U.S.D.A. LaboratoriesIn the State Experiment StationsIn the Department of Defense Laboratories

In Private Institutions and Industry Supported Associations.

Local food industries might well avail themselves of the opportunity to contafl

their local high school principal, the career guidance counselor, or participate

in Career Day Programs to help stimulate interest. Summer employment of selected

young people may also assist in pointing out career opportunities.Your own State College at Raleigh offers courses of study in several areas of

Food Technology, at the undergraduate and graduate level. An excellent staff accomu

panied by fine research and instructional facilities are important parts of the

program.'we are available; we wish to do our part:'Wont you help to get young blood

for the food industries?

Vol. 1, No. 3 -3-" JMin-August 1959

SOUTHERN PEAS (Edible Cowpeas) FOR PROCESSING

Maurice w. Hoover, Professor of Horticulture(Food Processing)

The southern pea, 23535 sinensis, may be classified into three general typesbased on the color characteristics of the dry seed, These three types are theblackeye, cream or white seeded and the pigmented. Besides the distinct colorcharacteristics of the seed, each type contains its own characteristic flavor andtexture when cooked. For instance, seed of the cream type is usually firmer thanseed of the blackeys. Seed of the cream type possesses a milder flavor than thoseof the blackeye and pigmented types, Some of the varieties representing the creamtype are Texas Cream to, Texas Cream 12 and Conch. The blackeye type is represent-ed by Mbnarch, California No° 5 and various strains of Ramshorno Varieties whichare classified as pigmented types are Purple Hull, Mississippi Crowder andDixielee.

The southern pea is well adapted to our Nbrth Carolina climate and soilc Theadaptability of this crop, however, varies widely from one variety to another.Some varieties produce well under our growing conditions, whereas, other varietieswithin the same type do not. A study is now underway at N. 0. State College todetermine the varieties that produce the highest yields and also which are best forprocessing.

The utilization of the southern pea for processing is increasing rapidly. Itsuse for this purpose has long been recognized in the South. Since the beginningof World war II there has been a steady migration of peOple to and from the southernstates. This interchange of pOpulation has contributed much to the use of this mapfor food. Those leaving the South carried with them their desire for southern peasand those coming to the South usually become fond of them within a short time. Thepotential of the Southern pea for processing is great and its future for thispurpose seems assured.

Although the suitability of Southern peas for processing varies widely amongvarieties and types, probably the most important factor affecting their quality isthe stage of deve10pment of the crOp when it is harvested. This is due to themany physical and biochemical changes that take place in the seeds during theirmaturing processo During maturation there is an increase in the firmness of theseeds along with the toughening of the seed coato The most significant chemicalchange that takes place is the rapid build up of starch with a corresponding de-crease in sugar. The sugar content, however, is never high enough to greatlyaffect the quality of Southern peaso The starch, on the other hand, increasesuntil there is almost 50 percent starch in the seeds, on a moisture free basis,soon after the green color disappears from the hulls. This greatly affects theflavor and texture of the peasc At the same time that the starch content is in-creasing there is a decrease in vitamins. For instance, Southern peas are a fairlygood source of vitamin C in the very young stages of maturity. The vitamin Cdecreases with increased maturity until little or none remains after the greencolor disappears from the pods.

There is an increase in the size of the seeds with a corresponding increase inthe percent shellout as the maturity advances until just before the green colorbegins to break. The characteristic flavor of this crop also appears to improveup to this point. This fact alone gives the crop an advantage over certain othervegetable crops used for processing, If Southern peas are harvested very youngand tender before the seeds reach or approach their maximum size, they would

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Vol. 1, No. 3 4:» July-August 1959

contain a larger amount of vitaminso However, the yield would be greatly reducedwithout realizing any significant improvement in flavor° There is a rapid declinein the quality of Southern peas after the green color begins to disappear from thepods.

Although we may plant the very best variety and type of Southern pea andharvest it at its optimum stage of maturity, the quality of the product will beinferior if it is not handled and processed rapidly after harvesting. If this isnot possible, the peas nay be placed under refrigeration at about hO°F until a moreconvenient time. This is important because the maturing process continues in theseeds after they are harvested when held at temperatures above hOOF.

watch for more on Southern Peas in succeeding issues.

Within a few years, workers involved in pro-cessing and distributing food are expectedto outnumber the farmers who grow it. Thegrocery cart is getting ahead of the horse.

How big will the food market be in 1980? While this is a doaitqyourself questionanyone can answer if he chooses, U.S. Bureau of the Census is still the sharpestguesser for the United States. The bureau, which says the country now has apopulation of about 176 millions, feels that we will have a minimum of 2h5 millionsby 1980, and a maximum close to 273 millions. If each one continues to consume anaverage of 1,600 lbs. a year, a total of at least 200 million tons of food will beneeded that year.

A_§9nsiderable gain in the output of French friedTpotatoes, and the first segregamonof strawberries into sliced and whole, are significant items in the Natl. Assn. ofFrozen Food Packers 1958 report on Uos. frozen food production. 'Well over two-thirds of the strawberries were packed sliced, the figures published in Canner/Pack-er show. Over-all production of frozen fruits dropped slightly from 1957, Whilevegetables showed a small gain.

Cooperative merchandising by cooperatives is a relatively new development in theprocessed food business. National Cranberry Assn. and Knouse Foods Cooperativehave joined in producing an apple-cranberry sauce, marketed under the latter‘s labelbut with the former's brand also shown. Sunsweet Growers and Sun Maid RaisinGrowers recently carried a joint two-page spread in national consumer media,featuring prunes and raisins.

Shr' production jumped 13% last year to 215 millifin 1b., and U.S. imports shot up53% to 8§.h million lb.

Farmers received 39 of consumer food dollar in let quarter of '59 — 2¢ less thanin same period of '53, USDA reports.

Egpd prices for let quarter of '59 averaged 1% lower than in that period of '58,USDA reports. While farm prices were down 7%, marketing charges were up 3%. wagerates were h% higher and transportation expenses up°

Vol. 1, No. 3 «6- July-August 1959

sons-Mo FOOD PRODUCTS

The housewife is now finding an everqincreasing variety of frozen food pro-ducts packaged in airtight plastic bags. The product is cooked by immersing theunopened bag in boiling watero Advocates of this method of packaging claim thatplastic bags retain flavor even better than most other types of packaging andcooking. Using this method, a housewife can prepare as many as six courses withthe use of a single pot of boiling water.

Since this method of packaging and preparation seems to be "catching on," fishprocessors may wish to explore the possibility of using this packaging techniqueqith fishery productso A few fishery products are being packaged in this manner.

THREE WASHINGTON DEVELOPMENTS of high interest to packagers: (1) The Food & DrugAdministration will research the possible presence of carcinogens in containerwaxes if Congress approves an added $2,000,000 for E&DA, already appropriated bythe House; (2) F&DA is asking Congress for a color-additives bill which, if passed,will be administered, the agency says, in the same spirit that it is applying tothe new Food Additives Amendment, and (3) E&DA, in cooperation with the FederalCivil Defense Administration, has issued two reports on the effect of radioactivefall-out on containers and packaging materials, as well as on farm products andprocessed foods (materials vary in their retention of fall—out, it was found).

PUBLICATIONS

The following publications are available from.your Extension Food ProcessingSpecialist, 227 Kilgore Hall, N. 0. State College, Raleigh, No C.

What Do Consumers want? - Ext. Folder No. 165Food Processing Firms, A listing of fruit, vegetable , Seafood, and

Kindred products. - Horticulture Information Leaflet, Nb. FF 1References in Food Technology - Horticulture Information Leaflet, Noo FP2The Heat Unit Summation Theory as Applied to Canning Crops. - Herticulture

Information Leaflet, No. 63

Frozen ve stable ack in '58 totaled l h33 billion 1b., compared to 1.367 billionin '57 and 1.333 billion in '36, NAFFP reports. Blackeye pea pack doubled in 2 yr.and potato products increased h2%. Corn-on-cob dropped 50%, green peas h3$,succotash h0%.

Erggen fruit and berry pack was 0 610 million lb. last year, compared to 671million in ’57 and 6§h million in ' 6. Gooseberry pack jumped 233% to 967,765 lb.in 2 yr. Grapes and pulp gained 37%, black raspberries 68%, red raspberries 166%.Apples and.applesauce declined 23%.