Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-29
PURE FOOD LAW
IN EFFECT JAN. |
ALL GOODS MUST BE PROP.
ERLY PRODUCED
California VIII Be Benefited by the
New Measure Passed by Con-
aress-No Short Weights
In Packages


congress, will take effect on January 1,
1907.
The act provides for the purity and
proper branding of all foods. drugs
and CONNECTIONS The use OF artificial
preservatives is prohibited, except in
few stipulated cases, such as catsup.
and where these preservatives are used
the quantity and character Of the pre-
servative must show on the label. A
food product is declared adulterated II
It contains any filthy, decomposed or
putrid animal or vegetable substance;
II any substance has been packed with
1t so as to reduce or lover or injuri-
ously affect it's strength or quality; II
any substance has been substituted for
the article; If any valuable constituent
of the article has been abstracted; If
1t be mixed colored, powdered, coated
or stained In manner whereby damage
or inferiority is concealed; IL 1T con-
tain any added poisonous or other dele
terious substances which may render
such article injurious to health. Foods
or drugs which are specially prepared
or are blends may be sold under trade
name and the formula not disclosed to
the public by the manufacturer, pro-
vided the government chemists find
such prepared food free from injurious
substances. A food Is condemned
II it be an imitation or offered for sale
under the name of another article; If
1t be labeled or mranded so as to mis-
lead the purchaser or purport to be
foreign product when not so.
An article is declared misbranded II
the package or label shall contain any
statement, design or device which
l,oG I1A Sol @,- ell dt,,n tn ot1u
particular. The label must In all in
stances show clearly the exact con-
tents of the package, except where the
article is an authorized blend is labeled
as such and contains no deleterious
substance.
No food or drug can be misbranded
as to state, territory or country where
produced. This will put an end to the
practice of labelling Baltimore packed
peaches as Genuine California
Peaches" 1t will also prevent labelling
poor quality western field corn as 'Suc-
culent Maine Corn" etc.
Patent Medicines Affected
Every drug store must conform to the
United States pharmacopeia. If 1t diff
fers from this recognized standard the
label must specify the difference. In
patent medicines and drug prepara-
tions the exact percentage Of all "habit
forming drugs must show on the label,
such as alcohol, opium, cocaine. This
is death blow to all harmful patent
medicines.
Manufacturers Of blended whisky
Jared better. There is nothing in the
law which will have an important bear
ing on the liquor business.
Tho use of mineral substances, clays
par..ffine, deleterious coloring matter
and fiavors as we'll as narcotics or alco-
holic products is prohibited in confec-
tionery. The prohibition of narcotics
opiates. ETC., is directed against the
cheap and harmful cough drops sold in
candy stores.
Prohibits Short Weights
The law not only protects the con-
sumner against impure foods and drugs
but it also prohibits short weights in
package goods. Where the weight of
an article is shown on the package
this weight must be the actual net
weight of the product. Thus fourteen
ounces of crackers cannot be packed
in a carton and labeled zone pound"
The retail or wholesale grocer is pro-
tected from prosecution If he can pro-
duce- a written guarantee from the
manufacturer that the product sold
conforms to the law.
For more than score of years pure
food bills have been submitted at every
session of congress. UP to this time
private interests have successfully
thwarted every attempt to protect the
public stomach. In several of the
amendments which have been embodied
in this act the hand of private interests
can be clearly seen; but on the whole
the law is strong and effective and
meets with the approval of the advo-
Gates of pure food. The most con-
spicuous of these is DIR. Wiley, govern
meRt food chemist. He Is man whom
his enemies characterize as a pure
food fanatic" Prof. Wiley has repre-
sented the professional brains behind
the bill and most of the opposition has
centered in him and his ideas. His
victory Is qualified but is real victory
He has succeeded in securing the pass
age of law that will insure purity
In food products.
1t was his dream to go further and
set standards of quality as we'll. To
this end he prepared. by authority of
congress, official food and drug stand
ards which stipulated a certain mini
mum of quality. Thus according to
these standards fiavoring extracts, for
instance, would have to be of certain
minimum strength as well as free from
adulteration; in condensed milk the
minimum percentage of actual milk to
the cheaper ingredient sugar, was to
nave DCbIl HAcu ny law. Iii LT6 Indi
conference between the two houses
these standards We're thrown out. The
result is that the consumer is protected
against adulteration and misbranding
but the quality of the food does not
enter in.
Helps Western States
Properly enfo ID. he new act will
mean an immense change in the pre-
pared and canned foods manufactured
In the east and sold on this coast. The
western states. where food laws are
lax, have long been the dumping
ground of condemned products of east
ern manufacturers. That the law will
be properly enforced there seems to
be little doubt. 1t differs from state
acts or city ordinances, the enforce
ment of which depends largely upon
the fitting local political atmosphere
Violation of the national food law will
be on a par with counterfeiting or
tampering with the mails.
The pure food law is not operative
upon all food offered for sale In the
United States. The constitution gives
to each state the right to regulate its
own local commerce and the nation can
pass laws governing interstate com
merce only. An article of food manu-