The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-12-06
MONTHLY REPORT OF
FOOD COMMISSIONER
MILK, WINE AND SALMON RE-
CEIVED HIS ATTENTION FOR
THE MOST PART IN NOVEMBER.

The following is the report of the
food commissioner to the Board of
Health yesterday:
The milk supply during two months
has been of good quality, the inspec-
tors samples showing no adulteratiOn
being practiced. Four diaries were
visited during November and instruc-
tions given for sanitary improvements.
The work of the past few months in
the inspection of dairies and calling the
attention of owners to insanitary con-
dition has resulted in many improve
ments. When it is taken into con-
sideration that there is no law relat-
ing to proper equipment of dairies; ana
the present inspection is only in the
line of suggestion to dairymen for the
production of clean milk, there has
been much good accomplished, Dairy
men have met your inspector in the
proper spirit and seem DESTROYS to
furnish clean, as well as unadulterated
milk. The passage Of law giving
the production of milk is much needed.
During October and November forty
six samples of liquor were analysed
and reports of analyses sent the treas
brer Of the Territory, in accordance
with Act 81 Session Laws of 1905.
Fourteen samples of cheap sweet
wines sold in Honolulu saloons were
| taken by this office and analyses made
for the purpose of ascertaining the
quality of the cheap wine sold. The
prices of the wine varied from Is cents
to 20 cents per quart bottle
The analyses shows the amount of
ash and acids to be normal Consider
able variation in extract and alcoholic
strength is noticed. These wines being
scweet and fortified, the solids and
alcohol should be correspondingly high.
One wine falls as low as 1875 per cent
alcohol by volume, limit below that
| usually considered normal. 1t is doubt
full if wine below IS per cent alcoholic
strength is shipped or should be ship
ped, to this climate, on account of diff
| ficulty of keeping without fermentation
! Where the alcohol is low paservative
is to be suspected, and in one sample,
Port, an antiseptic was detected This
sample was obtained from the Greater
! New York saloon, r. w. Condor, pro-
| prietor, corner Liliha and King streets.
| Salicylic acid was present: this anti
! septic is prohibited in foods by the
! Board of Health as a deleterous sub
/ stance; and is also forbidden in wine
! by the United States Pharmacopo
which is the standard for dry red and
white wines of the Territory. A sam
| pie of Madeira from the same dealer
| contained 1875 per cent. alcohol and
5.95 per cent extract both figures be-
low the commonly accepted standard
! for sweet wine. This wine is I'M
! doubtedly watered. All samples con-
tanning less than IS per cent alcohol
and 6 per cent extract, while they may
! not be adulterated are unquestionably
of inferior quality and should not be
| sold. In absence of legal standards
for sweet wines it is impossible to take
action against these dealers at this
time.
Fifty-One samples of soda water re-
| presenting all the soda water manu-
| factruers of Honolulu were obtained
! and tested for substitutes for sugar.
| In one instance saccharine, a chemical
| substance of marked sweetening power
was detected. Saccharine has $50 times
the sweetening power of cane sugar
and is commonly used to adulterate
wines, soda water, etc. 1t was for
merly used in Honolulu but upon noti-
fication all dealers stopped its use of
this substance. Not only is saccharine
cheap substitute for cane sugar, but
there is also some question about its
| healthful qualities. 1t may be well
for all interested to take notice that
| enough has been said about saccharine
and the next case of this adulteration
of soda water and foods will result in
| prosecution.
Shipments of salt salmon to this
| port during the last part of August,
| and the month of October were of in
ferior quality, in some cases the fish
being in very bad condition. Action
was taken in a number Of instances