The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1909-09-17
APPROVE BENzOATE SODA
National Chemists Convention
Lifts Ban.
NECESSARY PRESERVATIVE
In Small Quantities Does Not Make
Food Injurious.

State Pure Food Commissioner
James H. Wallis is back from Denver,
where he represented Idaho at the
national convention OF chemists and
pure food commissioners, says the
Boise Statesman. He speaks highly
Of the valuable work accomplished by
that gathering, attended as it was by
The greatest scientists OF this country,
all Of whom read important papers
dealing with foods. their adulterants
and preservdtives.
"The main struggle was over the
question of permitting the use or
benzoate of soda as preservative in
food products" said Commissioner
Wallis 10 narrating the work accom-
plished there. The use Of preserva-
tives 10 foods is to prevent the growth
| OF bacteria. Mould aud fermenta-
ton are frequently found by the
housewife In the goods which she
herself has put up, and when the
home articles are finally taken into
use the mould Is removed and the
good part underneath is eaten. When
the home product is found To be
fcrmented it is boiled over and then
used, but while the housewife may
be willing to remove the mould from
goods which she herself has made,
she is not likely to buy mouldy or
fermented goods from the grocer.
When goods are made on large
scale, although with the same care
and cleanliness, you can readily see
what will happen when they are
shipped over long distances and
transported from one climate To an.
other.
''lf any mould has formed before
the goods are shipped, the mould will
become mixed with the entire CON
tents of the package during transit,
land ii the complete spOilaee did not
take place on this account, the con.
sumer would be eating mould, which
is more Objectionable than to eat the
small and harmless quantity of added
preservatiYe required to prevent it,
formation.
"Again. II roods were slightly fer
mented on the top Of the package,
the bacteria Of fermentation would
| tecOMe mixed with the balance dur
ing transit, and the whole contents
would 20 up 10 fermentation. Al
$ though none of the mOulds fOun(
upon fruits have as yet been proven
as poisons in the strictest sense of tn
word, yet none of them Is considered
!. perfectly harmless, and all know
them to produce digestive disturb
Y ances A person would not have Il
] look long at them TO lose his appetite
j. and merely from appearances woul'
e reject the fruit.
Y "The chemical action of heat ol
food materials to which has bee
= added condiments has been the sol
5 method OF preservation for years
e until modern science cast about for
d more efficient and more certain sui
t stitute. Many have been tried an
practically abandoned, for 1t has bee
found that most chemicals whic
will preserve food will also mOdif
digestive functions. BenzOate {
= soda, which Is common soda treate
= with benzoic acid, is the sole pr.
serving agent that has been dete
G mined by the highest scientit
e authorities to ne at once efficient an
u also so little harmful id the quaint
n ties necessary to employ that measu
II able deleterious effect canuot /
found.
% "Benzoate Of soda is as Transparent
10 as a piece Of plate glass, odorless an
tasteless, and while 1t will keep partl
y decayed food from getting any wors,
it will not make bad food any bett,
Z" or conceal any iDferiority. IL T,
- Quires a far heavier dose of benzoai
&c of soda To produce an appreciab
70 effect upon the system than acct
y acid. Acetic acid in bottle of catsu
t. II separated aud taken clear woul
'c produce most painful results. TIL
objection to acetic acid and spices