Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-05-23

WASHINGTON. ID. c., May 22-An
Invasion of American homes 10 prom
ised for the summer of 1908. IL will
be a peaceful invasion, unaccom-
panied by alarms and yet the more
deadly because of the insidious thar
acter of the warfare which will be
waged upon the public health. BY
the action of Secretaries Wilson. Cor
telyou and Straus, taken on the eve
of the retirement of the last admin
istration, benzoate OF soda may be
used to preserve any sort of food
except that the same must be stated
on the labels This decision has been
followed by increased activity on the
part of these manufacturers of the
food-tuff who find that under their
present methods the use of benZoate
of soda is essential to preserve their
products. and even more interest is
Icing displayed by the manufacturers
of other foods who have hitherto been
prevented from using preservatives
but who see in ben:oate of soda their
possible Salvation. :
1t is doubtful If the sweeping ohaE-
acter OF the decision has been appre-
ciated BY even a small portion of The
public concerned II was originally
proposed to prohibit altogether the
use of benzoate of soda in foods. on
the ground that ii was chemical pre-
sentative the employment OF which
was deleterious to health. Under
great pressure a modification was Sc
cured allowing the temporary use or
one-tenth of one percent in foods
where the preservative had formerly
been used With the Wilson's traus
Cortelyou decision, however, the doors
were thrown wide open and at pres
ent the drug can be mixed with any
kind and all kinds OF foods and in any
amount to suit the manufacturer. The
latter Is limited only by the amount
the trade will stand for. and no one
has yet predicted what the limit will
be. Benzoate Of soda is thus recog-
nized as the only chemical preserva-
tive the. use of which is authorized by
the government in limited quantities
Where IL Will Appear.
Some Of the foods in which Il has
been used and in which it will certain
" appear this summer are: jellies,
and preserves. ketchup. Chill sauce
and picked n.y." peach, apple. plum
and apricot butter: cider and grape
Juice: miuce-meat and filing fc- OIL
sinds OF pies; canned soups and boui<
lions and articles Of similar CHAR
scier. Under the recent decision, how
ever. other products can now be pre-
served by this particular chemical.
Among them are the syrups and fruit
compounds served at soda-water toun-
tains.
10 is true the regulations provice
that each container shall be plain p
labeled 10 show the presence and
amount OF benzoate OF soda. but in
ihe case Of saltwater fountains the
containers are generally kept IN the
cellar while the syrups are drawn
from the focntains and the fruits are
served from bowls. These need not.
and. Il Is unnecessary TO say. viii
rot show the presence OF amount OF
bc1zoste Of soda. The same. is true
Of bulk foods in the grocery stores.
such as butter in the tub. cheese m
the case. milk In the can. etc. In
such cases the consumer viii have
little opportunity OF knowing whether
or no; bcnzoatc q soda ~ used.
Meat Packers Busy Too.
Nor are the meal packer over look.
ing the permission - broadly eivca
10 uxc unlimited quantities NJ fhis
chemical preservstive 10 their meal
| products. such a. -poited- chicken.
turkey. ham and tongue. canned roast
beef. corncd beef OF whole touefc.
and Above an IN their saussgcs Sircr
they are deprived II boracic acid
which gave TIE world the term ~cm-
haimcd beef thcv have bccn ~ sea,
but benxoafe q soda has come 10