The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-20
UNIFORM FOOD LAW WANTED.
Admits that Some Pre-
seryatives Are Used.
Philadelphia Ledger.

Philadelphia Ledger.
The Association of Manufacturers and
Distributors of Food Products held its quar-
terly meeting in New York few days ago,
and devoted almost the entire day to plan
ming legislative campaign at Washington
this winter for the passage of a national
pure food law. This association is composed
of thirty-six of the largest manufacturers in
the United States of jams, jellies, preserves,
canned fruits and vegetables and table con-
diments, such as catsup.
What the association wants is law of
Congress governing the manufacture of such
products and permitting free interstate
commerce in foods which conform thereto.
1t also wishes that the administration of the
law be placed in the hands of the Agricul-
tural Department, which Will have
data for such administration from the ex-
periments at DR.. Wiley's poison boarding
house in Washington.
Few great national industries have suf-
fered SO much from legislative mistakes as
has the canning and food products trade
from the lack of uniform national pure
food law, and few have gained such an un-
enviable reputation from the sins of the few
black sheep in their fold. In discussing at
considerable length this situation with a re-
porter for the Public Ledger a few days ago.
an officer Of one of the largest food product
concerns said
THE manufacturers court a fair and
sensible control Of their business by the
proper authorities, but they want 1T uni
form throughout the country. The trade
is hampered and harassed now by the
varying regulations in different States.
Take one case as instance. OF
course, every preparation which contains
two or more ingredients is a compound.
One of our preparations of this class. for
instance, is sold with perfect freedom in
one State. In another State it must be
labeled, Compound adulterated:' in an
other, Compound and adulterated;' in a
third plainly 'Adulterated,' and in fourth
Imitation and on. Our goods may be
sold to jobbers in one State. who will sell
them in turn to retailers in half a dozen
States. How can we do business with such
conflicting laws?
I'm the matter of preservatives their use
In table condiments is made doubly neces-
sary by the conditions of the business
Even if the manufacturers knew the size
and style of package In which goods would
be demanded by the trade IT would be i'm
possible to pack them thus at the time OF
preservation. On most fruits the season
lasts for only very few weeks. or even
days, and 1t is necessary TO prepare the
goods and keep them in large receptacles
until time is found to pack them I'm the final
trade shape; thus il will be seen that the
use of preservative by the manufacture
of food products extends not only for them
but for the grower of fruits over a consid-
erably greater period of time what would
otherwise be an extremely short fruit sea-
son.
purpose of rejuvenating or bringing back
to an edible condition fruits and vegetables
that may have begun to decay; nor are
they ever used i'm canned fruits and veg
etables as these latter depend entirely
upon sterilization the vacuum created
in the can for their keeping qualities
Then. too. in articles like jams, pre-
serves and catsup small amount OF pre-
servative is necessary to keep the goods I'm
proper condition while passing through the
hands of the wholesale and retail dealers
and later until the final purchaser can have
consumed the entire contents Of the mack
age be this at one meal or those Of days
or even weeks.
1.-The preservative most generally used Is
benzoate of soda. and in the quantities used
!, it is absolutely harmless. Salicylic acid
and borax are those next in favor while
| the harmful preservatives. which am con-
| WINGED are used by few. If any, food pack
| ers, are the fiuorides. of which forrnalde-
| hyde is the best known representative
Now, none of these are recognized I'm
| most of the State food laws. The preserva-
| tives generally permitted are salt, sugar.
alcohol and wood smoke How much salt
| thing to neutralize its favor? How much
sugar? And imagine the outcry from the
| temperance people If We used alcohol
'All these conditions vex harass and
curtail a trade that has done more for the
| prosperity OF the American farmer than
any other of which L know. Ii has fur
nished him with certain market for his
| crop of fruits and vegetables. and IL has
placed the market gardens of the country
| at the door of the city dweler, not for q
| short season in each year. but all the year
| round.
THE reputable food manufacturers are
not opposed TO pure food laws. They desire
| the passage of a sensible. reasonable law
whose restrictions are based upon scien-
/ tifc Investigation coupled with commercial
| requirements. and not on the empirical opin-
/ ion of any individual. and above all, one
| which will be uniform in its application
and Interpretation throughout the whole
country"