New-York tribune., 1903-07-16
pURE FOOD STANDARDS.
THE OFFICIAL TESTS.
Reouirements Established By the De-
partment of Agriculture.
rrRoM TIE TRIBUNE BUREAU.l

,,..,,.-.o, Julv i5-Although it has not yet
aes,Js1l,- promulgated. The Tribune is able
:. --ssen+ for the first time the Official stahoard
:. -,,,,+1y for nearly all food products, OF Whlch
:. cave an exclusive forecast on May ~ Inc
" 80, 1-ili he made by the Secretary OF
s.-,,+,,re ? bout October l. In the mean time.
~. standards VIII be subject to modlhcatloh py
.b. committee of scientists appointed 10 TOT
-. .te7, As +he standards presented have
been first established by the commlt5ee. submit
- n the large producers and manufacturers or
.ba country. and then revised, it snnounceo
.,.. there viii undoubtedly ne changes made
The delay in making the official prom iulgation
fs caused by the fact that there are few aru-
,les Of food and drink yet to be analyzed-
The value Of the esta ablishment Of official food
standards Is considered incalculable by the ON
,is1s Of the Department Of Agriculture. and par
.,cularlv by Or. H w Wiley's bureau of chem
istrv which is charged with enforcing the pure
food law against foreign foods, and also the law
against the nisbranding of dairy and food prod
pcts. the details OF which have recently been
set forth in The Tribune.
The campaign for pure food which has been
vaged by the Department Of Agriculture, backed
nv the popular sentiment Of the country. re-
eeived q great impetus through the law passed
as a rider on the last supply bill for the depart
nent which authorized the Secretary to FIX
standards for all food products. These stand
arcs will be the basis it is believed, for future
state food legislation. as well as accepted by
the courts~of the country in all pure food ltiga-
ton which may be brought in the enforcement
Of national and State laws.
GREAT BENEFITS EXPECTED.
The standards established are also notice to
ali foreign countries that the United States will
not accept any food and drink products which
do not measure up TO the ideas Of our own food
experts The food standard committee, it is pre-
dicted viii be a permanent institution in the
field Of production, and new standards viii con-
stantly be promulgated new articles are an
aIyzed and methods Of manufacture change.
Dr. Wiley says that the committee has re-
oeived the most cordial and satisfactory CO.
operation IN its work from the large food maxaI-
facturers Of the country. who have been con-
suited in reference TO every standard estab-
ushed- These manufacturers have made many
suggestions which have been adopted although
the original standards as fixed by the committee
have not been materially changed by the re-
vision publication is TO be made later by
the committee discussing the various standards
and giving in Setan the methods by which they
were reached
The clause in the Agricultural Appropriation
bill authorizing the food standards reads as fol-
lows:
To enable the Secretary of Agriculture, in COL
lshoration with the Association of Agricultural
Chemists and such other experts he may deem
necessary TO establish standards Of purity for food
products and 10 determine what are regarded as
adulteTatons therein, for the guidance of the vari-
States and Of the courts of justice.
The committee acting under this provision
which has compiled the standards consists of
Dr.. Wiley Dr. William Frear of the State Col
lege Of Pennsylvania Cchairman); DR.. E. H.
Jenkins, director of the Agricultural Expert
ment Station at New-Haven, Conn; NJ. A SEQ
veil director Of the Agricultural Experiment
Station at Lexington, KY, and A H Weber,
professor OF agricultural chemistry at the Uni
versity Of Ohio at Columbus.
The standards are declared to be fair in every
respect. both to the consumer and the manu-
facturer. and 10 be based on sound conclusions,
which took into account both the necessity Of
working no injury TO commerce and at the same
time guaranteeing to the consumer a means
whereby he may know what is and what is not
pure food and drink.
The standards in detail, which are presented
for the first time, are as follows: