Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-11-29
Investigations Of Food Depart
ment Do Not Reveal Presence
of Injurious ingredients
MADE OF GUM TRAeAcINTH
This Material Makes Better Paste
But is Not HarmfuI-CoaI Tar Used
in colorins-opportunity to Make
S100 If Dangerous AduIterations Are
Discovered.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Nov. 29.-There is no
candy on sale in the state Of Iowa or
elsewhere that contains ingredients
that are injurious or poisonous. If
there is. 500 of easy money awaits
the person who will disclose the place
where the candy could be bought.
The state food and dairy department
has only recently made Investigations
along the line Of candy and the sud-
den appearance of Thanksgiving and
Christmas candy on the market has
caused the annual renewal of the qu.s-
tion of the purity of candy.
Practically all the candy is colored
with coal tar products. Coal tar Is
what is left of crude oil after the ker-
osene is taken out. 1t is nor knoWn 10
be. injurioua ;.ld in the absenceIof any
positive information or proof that it is
it is not known to be injurious. 1t is
probably not beneficial, however. But
aside from coal tar coloring matter the
candy that is sold is pure, but not all
of 1t is of the best quality.
Cheap candy is made of glucose and
good candy is made OF sugar and high
er grade materials. That is the only
difference Once in while candy is
found on the market that has pale
color. This is usually colored with
vegetable colorng matter and it is dis
closed by the Investigations Of the
sttae food and dairy commissioner 8
office that candy makers are now busy
experimenting with vegetable coloring
matters in the hopes of being able to
discard the coal tar coloring matter.
THE other day one Of the state food
inspectors discovered that merchant
had lot of cheap candy for sale 1t
was advertised for 61a cents a pound
1t was thought that this was SO cheap
that the candy must be adulterated
and the inspector took considerable
amount Of it and sent it to Des Moines
for an investis sation. The investiga-
ton and chemical analysis disclosed
that it was largely made of glucose but
contained a very large per cent OF
gum drops. Gum drops are made of
vegetable substance known as gum
tragacinth which takes up very
large per cent of water. 1t sells
wholesale for AZ cents pound. When
soaked in water it is sometimes used
as a substitute for paste or glue. In
the form Of candy it can be sold cheap
because a considerable per cent Of the
weight is water.
The National Confectioners' associa-
ton has as one of it's by-laWs a
standing offer Of 500 reward for in
formation leading to the conviction OF
any one for selling candy containing
poisonous or injurious substances and
the national association will provide
the costs of the prosecution. Practi-
cally every state in the union has
law drafted by the National Confec-
TONERS association prohibiting the sale
of adulterated candy or candy contain
ing poisonous or injurious substances
and not one has the national associa-
ton paid it's $1OO reward.
But glucose or coal tar coloring mat
ter is not considered adulterating mat
ter nor poisonous or injurious. Gum
tragacinth while not particularly nu-
tricious and beneficial as food is a
vegetable matter that is not poisonous
and hence is allowable.