The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1910-12-01
PURE FOOD
COMMISSIONER
Issues Warning to Dealers and
and Consumers
To Dealers and Consumers:

NAaN SoAtoNtitSlS.
While we find more or less adul
iteration in foods at the presen,
time. the groceries now on sale il
our grocery stores are almost en-
tirely free from substances that are
commonly regarded as deleteriou.
to health. Borax, salicylic acid
sulphites and formaldehyde, so com
mon a few years ago, are now rare
ly, if ever, found in foods obtained
at grocery stores.
find it necessary, however, Il
give to the dealers of the state and
the consuming public a warning
with regard to these very substanc.
es. | refer TO the sale and use OF
the so-called vegetable canning com,
pounds, under whatever name,
There are no known safe preserva-
tives for canning vegetables. Vege.
tables may be readily canned as des,
cribed in Farmers Bulletin No 359,
entitled Canning Vegetables in the
Home" issued by the Department
of Agriculture. This is a valuable
bulletin and NAV be obtained free
by addressing the Department at
Washington, ID. G. In the factories,
nothing is added to vegetables in
canning except salt and water and
sometimes a little sugar. Special
machinery is employed in order to
produce the proper temperature to
kill all bacteria which cause fermen-
tation (spoiling).
Sodium ~benzoate. a preservative
which commonly held to lie harmless
and is allowed in foods in interstate
commerce and in South Dakota, can
only be used in acid foods and will
not preserve such vegetables as peas
and corn.)
These canning compounds, compos-
ed of such forbidden substances as
are mentioned above, are well known
to be deleterious to health and are
prohibited by law to be used IN foods
offered for sale to the public. They
are sold under coined named, which
conceal the actual ingredients they
contain, and suggest no thought of
danger lurking within the innocent
appearing packages. No doubt
thousands of housewives are led to
put them into vegetables for the
purpose of Deserving them, with the
idea that they are perfectly harm
less and safe. A notable example,
and perhaps the most prevalent and
popular, is Mrs Prices Canning
Compound, Registered under the
Food and Drug Act of June 80. 1906,
Serial No. 1851" 1t is composed
principally of boraX, with a little
common salt. 1t is not only decep-
lively labeled as to its virtue but, in
judgement, it's sale is a fraud, as
the simple substances which COM
pose it may be purchased much
more cheaply at almost any grocery
or drug store,
| have recently discovered that
some of our most reputable whole
sale houses are handling this sub
stance, and that it Is offered for sale
throughout the state. and the situa-
ton demands immediate attention.
From and after the date Of this
circular, all parties found selling,
or offering for sale, contrary to law,
Mr. Price Canning Compound, or
any other canning compound for
vegetables, will be recommended for
prosecution without reserve. All
parties having on hand such canning
canning compounds are advised at
once to return them to the company
from whence obtained. or destroy
them: Do not kept them in your
stores. The fact that you have such
canning compounds on your shelves
is taken as prima facie evidence be-
fore the law that they are offered
for sale.
ALFRED n. COOK,
Food and Drug Commissioner.
Vermillion, S. D., November 10,