The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-08-11
PRECAUTIONS AS TO FOOD.

PRECAUTIONS AS TO FOOD.
Messrs. ]. C. Blaisdell of Bradford.
ILL.,, and Alex Peterson, OF Galesburg,
I'LL, state food inspectors, have issued
a statement of the precautions to be
observed in purchasing food which are
as applicable in Iowa as in our neigh
boring state They declare that no
law enacted by national or state leg
islative assemblies more closely at
lfects or more greatly inures to the
benefit of the average citizen than
has the pure food legislation. And
it is suggested that when the retail
dealer comes to believe, as he should,
that the officers of the state food de-
partment are his best friends teen
! both may work together for the elim-
! nation of adulterated and misbrand-
ed foods from the market.
j 1t is rightly argued that the
consuming public have also duty
which they owe to themselves and
those dependent upon taem, and that
4 is, to closely read the labels upon
all canned and bottled goods, all
pickles, jams, jellies and preserves
before buying. The use of preserva-
i tives in this class of goods may not
be to such an extent as to be inJu-
rious to public health, but may be
used if plainly stated upon the abel
Ii as to the name and percentage OF
the preseryative used In this connec-
ton the following good advice is CIV
en-:
DO not expect to get the best grade
of goods at the lowest prices. Pure
unadulterated goods of any kind de-
mand and obtain higler price than
the low grade One of the objects of
/ the state food commission is, and
should be, to protect the honorable
retail dealer from the unprinclpled
iobber and manufacturer, if any such
there be, and thus protect the con-
4 suming public.
Retail dealers should be careful not
i to expose fruits of any kind in street
display, where flies may have access
to them or where dust or microbes
may light upon them. Keep these
food products covered with mosquito
bar and thus help to conserve public
health
Dates and figs in bulk, being OF
sweet. sticky nature, must always De
kept covered, preferably under glass
as they are eaten without being wash
ed and may, ii uncovered, De this
/ means of carrying disease germs. Oys
. tiers sold in bulk must in the future
, not contain ice nor water. The oys
, ter being a habitat of salt water, viii
:, Wien taken from thence and placed
. in fresh water almost immediatel,
begin to bloat, sure sign of decom
position and unfitness for food. Yet
how often have we seen person take
) one of these bloated bivalves upon ;
l fork, tell of it's sire and fairness al
!. he dropped it down his throat, whel
> the fact was the oyster was rottel
!. and not fit to eat
Again, the ice melting or the waite
added may come from well, pond, 0
| slough, which abounds with diphthe
1 ria, typhoid or scarlet fever germs
/ The ice melted or the water added
S sold as oyster syrup and is clearly
n fraud upon the purchaser, hence, tn
h imperative order that the practice c
! icing or watering fresh oysters mus
{ be at once and forever discontinued
: Users of milk or ice cream bought i
,. cans or other containers must
q careful to thoroughly scald out sue
d vessels before returning them to tn
5 owner; seams Or corners of milk We
s sells rapidly sour and become center
q of ptomaine poison germs Scores {
:, people every season are poisone
: through eating ice cream from can
not cleaned Immediately after beil
q last used Fresh fish boxes are ais
n easily contaminated and we wish
TT urge the necessity Of extreme cautio
N in keeping these receptacles in sal
nj itary, Clearly condition. Fish shoul
r. be handled with plenty of ice, til
:. boxes kept covered SO that no file
:, can have access, and no chemical pr
~ sentative Is allowed in handling thei
n violation of this may provoke a 6
IN we're prosecution"
a. Farmers and others should tai
a. notice that marketable egg is or
that is fit for human food. Thos
that have been heated in the incub
tor, in the oven. in hot water,
m pricked may not be sold at all, und
m any circumstances. Stored, held
a. picked eggs must be sold for VIII
=. they really are and not as fresh Pc
rle are being prosecuted for violatir
H. this law, and word to the VII
!. should be sufficient in this connectio
or
IN NOTES AND COMMENT.
he According to the sunhower philos