The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1910-12-02

1
eral review of pure food in the
canned line:
To Dealers and Consumers:
While we find more or less adultera
tion in the foods at the present time
the groceries now on sale in our
grocery stores are almost entirely
free from substances that are com
monty regarded as deleterious tC
health. Borax, salicylic acid, sui
phites and formaldehyde, so common
a few years ago, are now rarely, il
ever, found in foods obtained at
grocery stores.
find it necessary, however, to give
to the dealers of the state and the
consuming public warning with re-
gard to these very substances. l refer
to the sale and use of the so-called
vegetable canning compounds, under
whatever name. There are no known
safe preservatives for canning vege-
tables. Vegeta bles may be readily
canned as described in Farmers Bull
letin No. 359, entitled Canning
Vegetables in the Home,' issued by
the Department of Agriculture. This
is a valuable bulletin and may be OBJ
partment at Washington, d. G.. In
the factories, nothing is added to
vegetables in canning except salt and
water and sometimes little sugar.
Special machinery is employed in
order to produce the proper tempera-
ture to kill all bacteria which cause
fermentation (spoiling).
(SOdium benzOta, preservative
uhto
less and is allowed in foods in inter-
state 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, COM
posed OF such forbidden substances as
are mentioned above, are we'll 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 names, 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 pur-
pose of preserving them, with the idea
that they are perfectly harmless and
safe. A notable example, and per-
haps the most prevalent and popular,
is Mrs. Prices Canning Compound,
'Registered under the Food and
Drugs Act of June 30, 1906, Serial
No. 1851" 1t is composed princi-
pally of boraX, with little common
salt. 1t is not only deceptively
tabled as to its virtue but, in my
judgment, its sale is fraud, as the
simple substances which compose 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.
throughout the state, and the situation
demands immediate attention.
From and after the date of this cir
curlar, all parties found selling, or
offering for sale. contrary to law,
Mrs. Prices Canning Compound, or
any other canning compound for
vegetables, will be recommended for
prosecution without reserve. All
parties having on hand such canning
compounds are advised to at once re-
turn them to the company from whence
obtained, or destroy them: Do not
keep them in your stores. The fact
that you have such canning com
pounds on your shelves is taken as
prima facie evidence before the law
that they are offered for sale
ALFRED G.. COOK,
Food and Drug Commissioners
L.