1950 - Food And Drink

Food And Drink

Cyclamates are introduced commercially for use as artificial sweeteners (see Sveda, 1937). Abbott Laboratories launches Sucaryl, a cyclamate-based artificial sweetener (see 1951; No-Cal, 1952).

U.S. foods use 19 synthetic colors; the number will decline to 11 by 1967.

Consumers' Research Bulletin observes that soluble crystals make a cup that is "hot and wet and looks like coffee," but "any resemblance to coffee is purely coincidental." U.S. sales of instant coffee increase by 25 percent as the price of regular roast coffee rises to 80¢/lb., and by the end of 1952 instant coffee will account for 17 percent of all U.S. coffee consumption.

A federal tax of 10¢ per pound on U.S. margarine is removed as are all federal restrictions on coloring margarine yellow (see 1943). Butter is in such short supply that retail prices often top $1/lb., and consumers turn increasingly to margarine, whose average retail price is 33¢/lb. versus an average of 73¢ for butter.

General Foods introduces Minute Rice, developed by inventor Ataullah K. Ozai Durrani. Durrani obtained an interview with a company executive 9 years ago, produced a hot plate, cooked up a pot of his rice in 10 minutes, was given a laboratory to refine his precooked, quick-dried rice, and saw it distributed to GIs in C-ration packages. General Foods scientists have learned that long-grain rice is better suited to precooking than short- or medium-grain and that rice shrinks less if it is cooked only partially. The new product is launched with the first consumer advertising ever put behind rice.

Britain's first self-service grocery store opens July 31 at London. J. Sainsbury's store is the first in a chain that will grow to be the nation's largest (see 1869).

Cookbooks: A Book of Mediterranean Food by English food writer Elizabeth David (née Gwynne), 37, launches her on a career. David spent the war years in Alexandria and Cairo.