ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the naturalization of mass-marketed baby food through an examination of the origins, development, and early marketing of the Gerber Products Company. Understand the effects of mass-produced baby food it is important to revisit the development of artificial infant formulas, the forerunners of mass-produced solids such as Gerber. Early-twentieth-century household advice manuals, at times contradictory, reveal this increased emphasis on fruits and vegetables while still recommending the introduction of solids in the second half the infant's first year. In earliest years of advertising, Gerber focused on helping consumers and dieticians become comfortable with the idea of using canned goods in general and Gerber products in particular, and persuading women that it was in their best interest, and in their babies interest, to use Gerber baby foods. Promoting Gerber baby food as scientifically prepared and thus free of contaminants, vitamin-filled, healthy and wholesome food for infants was clearly the primary goal of the company's American Diabetes Association(ADA) journal advertising.
