Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-23
PROF. WILEY'S ANALYSIS.
Failed to Find Boric or SaIicyIic Acid
i'm Canned Meat,

The Secretary of Agriculture has received
from Prof H. W. Wiley. the chemist of
his department, report stating that an
examination of samples of canned meats
secured both in the open market and from
the War Department. to determine the
presence Of any chemical preservatives,
failed to disclose any traces Of boraX boric
acid, sulphites sulphurous acid, saIcylic or
beLzoic acids The presence of saltpeter
was confirmed in all the samples of CoTned
beef, and so-called luncheon beef. hut no
trace of il was discovered in the roast beef,
though common salt was present to a con-
siderable extent.
The test was made under an order of
Secretary Wilson, and thirteen samples
were inspected. eleven purchased in the
open market and two obtained from the
War Department OF the former, eight
from five different packing houses, were
corned beef; two, packed by the Armour
Canning Company of Chicago, and the Ar
mour Packing Company Of Kansas City,
were luncheon beef, and the other sample
roast beef. The report says:
The contents of the cans were in excel
lent preservation, and the surfaces of all
the cans were markedly concaVe, showing
that decomposition had begun. This
was also indicated by the fact that when
the cans were opened there was an APP
probable influx of air while in the pres
ence of even incipient decomposition the
surfaces of the cans are usually slightly
convex. and, on opening. an outflow of air
may always be noticed.
Development of Ptomaines.
In some kinds of preserved meat ten
denotes have been shown to the develop
ment of a class of bodies known as pto-
maines, poisonous alkaloidal bodies result
ing from the decay and change of nitro
senous materials in the flesh. These pto-
maines, of course, are not developed in per-
fecty steriiZed packages, but may develop
in those which are imperfectly sterllized or
HI
are opened but not eaten for some time
after exposure to the air. 1t is, therefore,
highly important that they are in good con-
diton when opened, and that they are con-
sumed after being opened without any great
delay.
THE quantitative examination of the
corned and luncheon beef showed that the
amount of saltpeter present was very
small varying from one-fifth of l per cent
to 1i5-hundredths of l per cent. Only in
two cases did the amount exceed nine
tenths of one per cent The approximate
amount of common salt used can be deter
mined very readily by the taste. and is
naturally not greater than is desired by
consumers nor than would be added in its
preparation in private families. The per-
centage of salt present was not determined
by analysis.
ut is matter of common information
that in the preparation Sof corned beef salt
and saltpeter are always used, whether it
be in a large packing house or in private
family.
Good as Food.
only preliminary examination has been
made for lead and tin in the contents of
the cans. The method employed was not
sufficiently delicate to reveal mere traces
but If these metals were present in a suf-
ficent quantity for their exact estimation
it would indicate that fact. So far as can
be determined by chemical analysis, the
samples of meat examined We're entirely
appropriate for use as food
In many instances the tins inside the cans
were discolored, but careful microscopic
examination showed that the surface of the
tin. in no instance was eroded. The chem
istry division is now conducting an exam
ination of the tin surfaces in order to de-
terfnine the amount of lead they may con-
tain The results will be presented in a
supplemental report. The report concludes
5 follows
Preserved foods, especially meats. are
not to be preferred to the fresh articles, ex-
cept in those cases where il is not possible
for the articles in a fresh state TO be sup
piled. In the second place, ii is highly i'm
portant that some competent supervising
agent be always present to inspect the
packages when they are opened in order
to detect any failure of complete sterlliza-
ton in their preparation, or any evidences
of incipient or advanced decay in their con-
tents. When these precautions are OBJ
served there is no reason to believe that
the ingestion of preserved meats as an ar
ticie of food in proper quantities and in
properly balanced rations, will in any way
interfere with the health or comfort of the
person consuming them"