Morris tribune., 1889-10-23
Adulteration of Food.

We are under obligations to Hon.
Warren J. Ives, state dairy and foo
commissioner, for the monthly report ofp
milk, butter, cheese, lard, baking pow
ders, vinegars, liquors, ETC., examined
by the Minnesota State Dairy and Food
Commission for the months of August
and September, 1880. From this report
we gather much valuable information in
relation to the adulteration of the above
named articles, which we give the read
ers of the TRIBUNE. The commissioner
in submitting his report says:
I'm submitting this report, the Com
missioner wishes to say that certain
samples of vinegar, etc., have been ana
lyzed by the Chemists of the Dairy and
Food Commission and statements of
the results furnished to the parties.
Dealers are cautioned against giving I'M
due prominence to such statements since
they merely express the character of the
individual samples submitted and in no
sense carry the slightest endorsement of
The analyses reported, show1that GER
tain firms of vinegar manufacturers are
selling to the people of the State large
quantities of spurious or imitation cidar
vinegars made from the exhausted
pomace from which the apple juice or
cider has been expressed. Such vine
CARS do not conform to the statute which
defines cidar vinegar as "the legitimate
product of pure apple juice, known as
apple cider" and their sale is declared
illegal, and if such sale is persisted in
after due warning has been given, steps
will be taken to enforce the penalties
prescribed by the law"
Of the 155 samples of milk analysed
in the st. Paul department 1879 or 10 per
cent. were pure, 20 below standard, 7
skinned, and four watered. Those be-
low standard, SKINNED and watered
making 50, or 81 per cent. of the total
amount of milk adulterated.
In this department rs samples of vine.
gar were analysed; % or SO per cent.
were white wine or low wine vinegar. 30
or AZ per cent. were colored low wine
vinegar. Is or 20 per cent. were cider
vinegar, SO samples, or 81 per cent. of
the vinegar Analysed proved to be adult
Grated. Al samples were sent to the
laboratory either by the manufacturers
or dealers in vinegar, and "a samples
were collected by our inspectors. An
other fact All colored white wine vine
gar bought by inspectors was sold as
cider vinegar, therefore is adulterated.
Twenty samples, or 81 per cent. of the
baking powder analysed contained
alum. Five of the samples of powder
containing alum were properly labeled.
"This baking powder contains alum"
Therefore, deducting the five samples
labeled according to law. we find that
out of the whole number analysed IS
per cent. were placed on the market con-
trary to our State Food law. Four of
the samples were delivered at the labor;
atory by the manufacturers agents or
dealers. and nineteen were collected by
inspectors. The above facts are true in
dices of the glarlng frauds which are
daily being perpetrated on the un-
suspectlng consumer. Not only fraud"
which is fully considered in the text of
our food law, but health, the all i'm.
portant factor.
Six samples of butter were analysed
and all were found to be pure.
-Four samples of cheese were analysed
and three found to be pure.
Including the entire number of ar
ticles analysed, 27O, there were 173 or 81
per cent. pure. NInety-seven, or 80 per
cent. were found adulterated, vinegar
and baking powder showing the greater
amount of fraud.
In the Minneapolis district 249 articles
were analysed.
OF the II samples of milk received
from the inspection department, 10 were
found deficient in fat and 1 was of legel
character.
Of Is samples of cheese, IA were full
cream and unadulterated, and one was
adulterated with so per cent. of foreign
fats in the form of lard.
OF the % samples of baking powder
analysed all were found to be more or |
less adulterated
OF % samples of cream of tartar pur-
chased from etailgrocers and examined,
Q were of satisfactory purity, while the
remainder were absolutely fraudulent,
in that they did not contain cream of