Abstract: There is disclosed an absorbent food pad which absorbs exudate from food products in a package and inhibits the propagation of food-borne pathogens. The absorbent food pad contains an effective amount of an antimicrobial composition of one or more acids having the structure:R--COOHwhere R is selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl; substituted lower alkyl; carboxy lower alkyl; carboxy, hydroxy lower alkyl; carboxy, halo lower alkyl; carboxy, dihydroxy lower alkyl, dicarboxy, hydroxy lower alkyl; lower alkenyl; carboxy lower alkenyl; dicarboxyl lower alkenyl; phenyl and substituted phenyl groups. In addition, the antimicrobial composition may include an anionic surfactant. More particularlly, the antimicrobial composition comprises a mixture of citric acid, malic acid, and sodium lauryl sulfate in a rate ratio of 10:5:2 by weight respectively. The antimicrobial composition is disbursed within the absorbent medium of the absorbent food pad at a concentration of between 0.04% and 0.

Abstract: A vehicle steering system includes a single handgrip mounted adjacent the driver's seat for pivotal displacement in a laterally extending plane. Interconnection structure provides a motion transmitting train between the handgrip and suitable power-assisted steering components in the engine compartment to regulate steering of a vehicle's wheels as the handgrip is laterally pivoted. The interconnection structure may include a plurality of serially-connected rotatable shafts, power-steering fluid control valves directly actuated by the handgrip or electrical switches controlled directly by the handgrip to regulate power-steering fluid valves disposed in the engine compartment.