The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-05-12
DON'T USE ANY
MORE SACCHARIR
FORBIDDEN AFTER JULY 1 IN
TERRITORIES AS ADUL-
TEnANT.

WASHINGTON, April 2s.-The sec.
Rotary of agriculture has today issued
decision, based upon finding Of the
referee board Of consulting scientific
experts. which forbids the use Of sac.
charm in food on and after July next.
The decision is under the Food and
Drugs Act, and will prohibit the manu-.
facture or sale in the District Of Co
lumbia or the Territories Of foodstufIs
containing saccharin. as well as inter
state commerce in such foodstuhs. The
finding of the board is the second since
its creation and is regarded as very
sweeping inasmuch as the decision af.
feets more than thirty different classes
of foods. Some of the articles affected
are soft drinks, sweet pickles, jellies
and jams, and in some instances beer.
The decision as promulgated is signed
by the secretary of the treasury, the
secretary of agriculture and the secre
tary of commerce and labor, in order
that the regulations embodied in the
decision may be put into effect. The
decision follows:
At the request of the secretary of
agriculture, the referee board of CON
sulting scientific experts has conducted
an investigation as to the effect on
health of the use of saccharin. The
investigation has been concluded, and
the referee board reports that the CON
tinued use of saceharin for a long time
in quantities over three tenths of a
gram per day is liable to impair diges-
ton; and that the addition of saccharin
as a substitute for cane sugar or other
forms of sugar reduces the food value
of the sweetened product and hence
lowers its quality.
FSaccharin has been used as a sub
stitute for sugar in over thirty classes
of foods in which sugar is commonly
recognized as a normal and valuable
ingredient. If the use of saccharin be
continued it is evident that amounts of
saccharin may readily be consumed
which will, through continual use, pro-
duce digestive disturbances. In every
food in which saccharin is used some
other sweetening agent known to be
harmless to health can be substituted,
and there is not even a pTetense that
saccharin is a necessity in the manu-
facture of food products. Under the
Food and Drugs Act articles of food
are adulterated if they contain added
poisonous or other added deleterious in
gradients which may render them in
furious to health. Articles of food are
also adulterated within the meaning of
the act if substances have been mixed
and packed with the foods so as to re-
duce or lower or injuriously affect their
quality or strength. The findings of
the referee board show that saccharin
in food is such an added poisonous or
other added deleterious ingredient as
is contemplated by the act, and also
that the substitution of saccharin for
sugar in foods reduces and lowers their
quality.
"The secretary of agriculture, there
fore, will regard as adulterated under
the Food and Drugs Act foods contain
ing -saccharin which. on and after July
/, 1911, are manufactured or offered
for sale in the District of Columbia or
the Territories, or shipped in interstate
or foreign commerce, or offered for i'm
portation into the United States"