Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-06-08
ATTACKS FINDINGS
Of RE Sen
BOARD
Serious Doubts Concerning
legality Of Decision Permit
ting Benzoate of Soda in


tho famous benzoate of soda decision
by the National Pure Food commits
sion. then consisting of Secretaries
Cortelvou, Wilson and Straus, in ac,
cordance with the Pure Food law,
known as the Food and Drugs act?'
Ii is claimed that il is legally n
sound and cannot be successfully de-
Tended and those who are opposed to
the use of chemical personalities in
foods are making out a strong case.
II is pointed Il that the decision of
the commission was based on the re-
port Of the Remsen board. officially
known as the Referee board of Con-
sulting Scientific Experts, without re-
gard to the voluminous testimony col
lected by the Department of Agricul-
ture and having a distinct bearing on
the subject under the Pure Food law.
When the commission referred the
case to the Remsen board, the exist
ence of which was never contem-
plated when the act was passed, it
limited the questions the board was
TO consider to two and to only two
paragraphs of Section Z of the Food
and Drugs act. All other parts Of
the act bearing on the subject, in
Guiding two paragraphs in the same
Section 7. were ~disregarded. The
questions submitted to the HANSEN
board were. %, Does a food TO
which there has been added benzoic
acid or any of its salts, contain any
added poisonous or other added de-
leterious ingredients which may rem
der the said GOD injurious to health?
(a) in large quantities; (b) in small
quantities? Co, If benzoic acid or
any OF its salts be mixed or packed
with a food is the quality or strength
of said God thereby injuriously af-
fected ca in large quantities. OBJ in
small quantities? These questions
were based on the following para
graphs Of Section T: First. That for
the purposes of this act an article
shall be deemed adulterated-in The
case of food. if any substance has
been mixed or pack I'd with 1t so as
to reduce or lower or injuriously af-
feet its quality CT strength; Second,
If it contains any added poisonous or
other added deleterious ingredient
which may render such article in
furious to health" This is all the
Remsen board was owe called upon
to consider and all that was consid-
cred by the Pure Food commission,
as evidenced by its decision, which
SAYS: 1T having been determined that
bonzoate of soda mixed with food is
not deleterlous or poisonous and is
- -. o., 1A,n1tI, M nhlnRfinn
will be raised under the Food and
Drugs act to the use in focl Of benz
zoate of soda. etc
But the Pure Food law goes much
further 1t provides that an article
shall be deemed adulterated: 1T It
be mixed. colorcd, powdered, coated
or stained in a manner whereby dam
age or in%feriority is concealed IN
der that section the use Of dyes to
conceal damage or inferiority is pro-
hibited, but while protecting the
stomach from possible bias of vision,
absolutely ne protection Is anorded
against the concealment of damage
or infcriority by means of bcnzoatc OF
soda. although without it such dam-
age or infcriority would be recog-
nized at once by the palate.
The sixth paragraph of the same
law provides that an article shall be
deemed adulterated: "If it consists in
whole or in part of a Glthy, decom-
posed or putrid animal or vegetable
substance" In view of the TACT that
the basis of the Indictment Of ben
zoatc of soda is that it enables man
ulacturcrs to utilize materials such a-
are condemned in the paragraph
quoted. and for the purpose de-
scribed in the preceding paragraph
OF the law, it seems strange that the
food commission should have con-
fined the Investigations of the Rem
son board to questions largely of an
academic nature and which many re-
gard as Of minor importance com
pared with those which were not
considered.
1t was originally contemplated tha'
these paragraphs should be consid'
cred and under the direction Of thu
Department of Agriculture an eXten.
sive Investigation into the manufac'
ture Of ketchup. both with and with
out benzoate of soda, was made by
Pure Food Inspector, Dr.. \. w
AHAAiluE. ne not OnAN tNbHA+'NN
large number Of MANUFACTURING
plants but conducted a number o
experiments with ketchup put al
under his own supervision, as well IL
with ketchups of all varieties pur
chased on the market lnspecto
Biting made a most interesting am
comprehensive report while the mat
ter was in the hands of the Remsei
board. but there is no evidence tina
ia board. or the commission Itself
gavc his report the slightest consid
Grafton, although its compilation mus
have cost several thousand dollars
Inspector Biting describes tn
kctchup where damage or inferiorit'
is concealed by use of benzoate %
soda. or which consists in whole o
I'm part Of a filthy, decomposcd o
pntrid vegetable substance to quot'
the law. in plain and vigorous Ian
g'ssc. In contrast with the strict.
h~igh-gradc product" he says. lis tn
great bulk OF the ketchup found OF
the market The material Is no
who'll ripe tomatoes. but consists %
The waste OF the canning factories
commonly designated as 'trimmin'
stock Including the green. moldy
broken. rotten and generally unsafe
Al a. Lin. 80 ~.