The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-14
Succulent Bivalves Must Be Sold
Without "LiquOr."
WILLARD in THE EAST
State Chemist at Oyster Pack
ing Headquarters.
VIII Report Concerning Details
When He Returns.

Waterless oysters must be sold In the
butcher shops and groceries of Kansas
this year, according to the decree soon
10 be issued from the headquarters of
the state pure food inspector, DE-. s. ].
Crumbine.
People have become SO accustomed to
water in the raw oysters that they call
this water liquor and imagine that
1t Is natural part of the bivalye. Az
matter of fact the '1iquor'' is merely
water, either put there for the express
purpose of increasing the bulk of oys-
ters, or the product of melted ice Manv
shops selling oysters put a big chunk
OF ice into the oyster receptacle. The
ice looks nice floating In the sea of
oysters. But that isn't the only rea-
son it IS put there. AS II rnelts away.
1t becomes worth so cents a quart an
liquor"
At the present time ]. T. willard
chemist at the state agricultural COL
lege, and one of the men who does ex-
pert food analysis for the food de-
folk, Baltimore and other Atlanric
ports. studying the oyster business. He
Is finding out all about how oysters
are harvested, how they are packed,
and how they are shipped. When he
comes back to Kansas he will be quail
ifled to speak with authority about the
oyster business. He can tell whether
green oysters are poisonous. or
whether they have obtained their Pc
culiar color from a diet of sea weed
He can tell how much water is put in
to the oysters when they are packed,
how much is added by the wholesaler,
and how much more is put in by the
retailer. In the past 1t has been Gus
tomary for each man who handled the
oysters to add a little "liQuor" and
make three quarts of oysters do the
work of q gallon.
1t is quite possible to handle oysters
without diluting them with water. 1t
isn't necessary to put ice in with the
oysters. The oysters, if properly
packed in ice, can be transported to
any part of the country. The whole
ters can not be handled without crush
ters can not be 1lanldei without crush
ing or breaking them. They say 1t is
necessary to add enough water to float
the oysters, in order that they may be
dipped from one receptacle to an
other. The pure food authorities are
not inclined to agree with this propo-
sition.
If the pure food authorities insist
upon waterleSs oysters, as they say
they will, the result will probably be
an increase in the price of oysters. But
the purchaser will get more oysters
for his money. If a quart of oysters
costs 60 cents instead of 40 cents. 1t
will be an increase of one-third, and
the customer can probably get along
with one-third less oysters.
Another thing which the dealers in
oysters will go up against this year will
be the law requiring cleanliness in
handling oysters. 1t is reported that
some dealers do not clean out their
oyster receptacles often enough, and
allow the "liquor' to cake, dry and
collect dirt on the sides of the vessel
containing the oysters. The pure food
inspectors of the state are expected to
see to it that the oysters are handled
in a manner which will insure their
freedom from dirt.