Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-10-20
PREPARATION AND SHIPMENT
OF OYSTERS, CLANS, sHELLFIsH
Findings of Board of Pure Food and
Drug Inspection, of the Department
of Agriculture, Made Public.
Especial to The Bulletin

Washington, Oct 19-The findings
of the board of pure food and drug
inspection, of the department of agri
culture, in the matter of the prepara-
ton and shipment of oysters, clans,
and other shellfish, have just been
made public by the secretary of agri-
culture.
public hearing was held by the
board on May 90, 1909. At this hear
ing, growers, packers, dealers. and the
public were afforded an opportunity to
be heard The findings follow:
1t is unlawful to ship or sell in in
terstate commerce oysters or other
shellfish taken from unsanitary or pol
luted beds. The pollution of oysters
with sewage can readily be detected
by meteorological examination, and
such polluted oysters or. other shell
fish are adulterated under section
of the food and drugs act of June 80
1906 in that they contain an added
poisonous or other added deleterious
ingredient which may render such ar
ticle injurious to health"
Such articles are likewise adulterat-
ed under section Z, in case of foods
because they consist Tin whole or in
part of filthy, decomposed, or putrid
animal or vegetable manner"
1t is unlawful to ship or sell in in
terstate commerce oysters or other
shellfish which have become polluted
because of packing under unsanitary
conditions or being placed in unclean
receptacles. In order to prevent
pollution during the packing or
shipment of oysters. it is necessary to
condition of the establishment in
which they are packed and to use only
receptacles which have been thorough
ly cleansed as soon as emptied. In
order to prevent the possibility of con-
tamination, it is desirable that such
containers be sterilized before using.
1t is unlawful to ship or to sell in
| interstate commerce oysters or other
| shellfish which have been subjected to
Floating" or drinking" in brackish
water, or water containing less salt
than that in which they are grown.
| Such food is adulterated under section
| 7 of the law because a substance has
| 'fbeen mixed and packed with it so as
to reduce or injuriously affect its quail
! ity or strength" There can be no OBJ
| lection to drinking" shellfish in un-
polluted water of the same salt con-
| tent as that from which they have
| been removed. Attention is called,
! however, to the dangers resulting
| from drinking" shellhsh near pollut-
| ed fresh water streams and near other
\ sources of pollution.
1t is unlawful to sell or ship in in
| terstate commerce shucked oysters to
which water has been added, either d.
rectly or in the form of melted ice.
| Such food is adulterated under Sec
| ton of the act because a. Substance
| has been mixed and packed with it so
| as to reduce or lower or injuriously
| affect it's quality or strength" and
| also because substance has been
! substituted wholly or in part for the
| article
! The packing of shellfish with ice in
| contact may lead to the absorption
/ by the oyster of a portion of the wa
| ter formed by the melting ice, thus
leading to the adulteration of the oys-
/ tiers with water.
| Only unpolluted cold or iced water
should be used in washing shucked
shellfish, and the washing. including
! chilling, should not continue longer
| than the minimum time necessary for
| cleaning and chilling
In view of the fact that the shipping
| season has begun and shippers will re-
qlire several months to provide them
selves with suitable containers for the
| shipment of shellfish out of contact
| with ice no prosecutions will be rec
! commended prior to May 1, 1910. for
the shipment or sale in Interstate conn.,
merce OF oysters or other shellfish be-
cause of the addition of water caused
solely by shipment in contact with ice
T. E. S.