The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-11-27
DOPE FOOD SCARCE
in NORTH DAKOTA
PROF. Z. r. LADp SUMS Up THE
SITUATION AT THE PRESENT
TIME IN Al SPECIAL ARTICLE
FOR THE TWIN CITY CONNER
clAL BULLETIN.

The Twin city Commercial Bulletin
in their annual pure food" issue, have
the following article summing up 4e
situation in North Dakota by State
Pure Food Commissioner e. r. Ladd
Of the A. c.:
Never has the state been SO free
from adulterated food produces as at
the present time. Nevertheless, one
must be constantly on guard, for
adulterated and n1isbranded products
find their way in a short time into the
state. This seems particularly true in
the smaller back-town off from the
main lines of the roads. If one were
to judge from the conditions as we
find them, one might say that certain
jofbbers were in the habit o. sending
to these out-of- the-way towns prod
ucts which they do not sell on the
main thoroughfares throughout the
state.
There are still many products which
are mis'branded. A large part of
these are not shown the net weight or
measure as required under the laws OF
the state.
Short Weight and Short Measure.
In the judgment of the writer, the
American people are being defrauded
more today in short weight and meas
ure than in any other way with re-
gard to food products. Packages
which purport to be one pound often
contain ten to thirteen ounces, or in
some instances fall but an ounce short
in weight, while gross weights are
sold as net, in many products
In North Dakota they are forced to
show upon their label this contents,
nevertheless such packages are fire.
quently sold as pound packages and
come in competition with those hon
estly put UP by manufacturers who
are striving to do what is right. This
is wrong, and every state should have
a law requiring that each and every
product shall show the true grade and
the true net weight or measure. before
the American people are properly pro-
tected.
Consumer Cannot Weigh Purchases.
You may say that II is the fault OF
the consumer; that he should weigh
his own products and see that he gets
full weight or measure. But there are
but few persons who are in position
to weigh packages of goods as they
receive them, and to know how much
is contained in the packages. Even
though they may have the scales, they
do not weigh closely enough to weigh
products like spices. or measure ac-
curately enough to determine that ex-
N
The people, however, are fast learn
ing. and viii soon come to demand
generally full measure and .feighc, and
manufacturers who fail to meet these
demands will ind their trade rapidly
diminishing.
Changes in catsups.
Catsups have probably changed
more in character during the past
three years than any other product
handled in the grocery store.
AT the present time the catsups gem
really sold throughout this state are
free from any form of chemical pre-
sentative, although we have had nu-
merous instances where these prod
ucts have been taken up still contain
ing shipped T.. as is
oversight.
1t Is noticeable in the examinations
that often these products contain
not, as is stated upon the label, ''1-10 |
of per cent OF benzoate OF soda" but |
rather is to rs per cent or about |
twice that which is claimed, and fully /
three times that which is permissible |
under the laws of North Dakota, where |
the use of benzoate of soda is allowed /
at all.
Preservatives like benzoate OF soda
are only permitted In this state in
bulk cider, bulk mfnce meat. bulk
apple butter, and in goldfish, properly |
labeled, from May to October.
Rotten and Waste Material In Cataups.
One who has carefully seudied cat
sups upon the market knows that
many Of the cheaper products are
very inferior, and If he has made a
careful investigation he will find that
such catsups are made from a great
deal OF rotten and waste material IT
Is true that the impression is trying
to be created that this product is pro-
drced wholly from sound material. in
Guiding cores and skins, but perfectly
healthy. This is not true in many
cases. for careful study with the
viii reveal the true con-
dition of the catsup and show the
mass of putrefactive material and the
growth Of myreliurn so abundant that
little else can be seen. Benzoate of
soda is desired largely for this class
Of catsups and is used by the manu.
Eacturer to preserve the refuse product
until such time as he desires 60 work
t into catsup for the market.
Artificial coloring In Catsups.
am asked how the beautiful color
Fan be had in catsup where no coal
ar dyes are added. 1t would seem
hat some Of the catsups now on the
market contain considerable cotton
seed oil and that color is extracted bv