The Washington times., 1911-03-05
NEGLECT PROBLEM
OF COLD STORAGE
Congress Too Busy to Take
Up Committee Recon-
mendations.
BY JOHN SNURE.

BY JOHN SNURE.
| In the hurry of the closing days of
| the session of Congress, little atten-
| tion was given to the subject of legis-
lation on cold storage. This ques-
tion is likely to become of much i'm
portance in the extra session. and. If
| not, then in the next regular session.
1t involves a business of tremendous
proportions.
The report of the Committee on
Manufactures of the Senate embodied
| recommendations for legislation for
the strict regulation of the cold stor-
| age business
If this legislation should go through,
as shown by figures IN the report of
the committee. it would affect trade
! that aggregates the staggering figure
Of two and half billions Of dollars a
year. 1t is estimated by Victor II.
Becker, of Chicago, who made a state
ment to the committee. that the value
of the products which pass through
| the refrigerating rooms in the course
of trade during a year is upward of
$500, 900, 900.
Food Products In Storage.
He gives the present quantity of
certain food products stored in the
United States as follows:
Eggs. 21,5OO, 900 900. equal to $4,000
900 cases. . per cent of which is in
100000 cases, the quantity actually
placed in cold storage in 1909.
Butter, from 10000, 900 to $1,000 900
pounds, which would be about per
cent of the total production of butter
in the United States.
Out of the production Of 10000, 900
to 60.000,000 barrels Of apples pro-
duced yearly, the cold-storaRs ware-
houses receive between 5000, 900 and
5.OOO,O 900 barrels
the report of the committee says
that the quantity of poultry frozen
and held in cold storage is about
1000. 600, 600. valued at $45,OOO, 300. The
value OF eggs placed in cold Gtorag
yearly is about $21 100000. The value
of butter placed in cold storage wear
ly is about $25.OOO,OOO. Cheese placed
in cold storage annually is valued at
about $5.O00.OOO. Frozen fish held in
cold storage annually is valued at
about $40. .0OO, 600. The value of apples
fresh and dried, placed in cold storage
annually Is from S12,000,0O0 to SIS
000. 900.
Must Be of Healthy Origin.
The committee, of which Senator
Hey is chairman, emphasizes the
fact that food products in cold ..tor-
age must be of healthful origin. sur
roundings and conditions and that
these must extend to and cover every
step and every period OF time up to
the consumer and upon the premises
that the health of each and every per-
son is a matter of public concern.
The committee in its conclusions Is
to cold storage of fish and various
other food products has given wei
to the testimony o; Dr Wiley In that
part of the report dealing with eggs,
the committee makes severe ref1ec-
tions on the business of cold storage
of eggs as now carried on. 1t is de
Clared eggs should not be placed in
cola storag" that are produced in the
hot months.
The use of broken and inferior eggs,
which are placed in barrels and froz-
en- at any time of year regardless Of
the condition of the eggs is condemn
ed. Thousands of tons Of this product
are continually in cold storage and
are known by the name of cooking
eggs and by other names which are
given them as a disguise. What the
committee calls this foul product"
goes into bakeries and cOnfectioneries
and is used as a basis for food prod
ucts in constant daily use by the
people.
Time Limit on Storage.
In the legislation proposed by the
committee. limits are placed on the
time in which articles of food can
remain in cold storage. For beef and
its products the time is seven months
for veal or its products four months;
for pork or its products four months;
for sheep or products four months.
for lambs or products three months;
for poultry or products three months:
for game Or products three months;
for fish or its products, three months:
for eggs or their products three
months; and for butter or products
thereof three months.
One of the most important restric-
tiOnS is that any article of food held
in cold storage removed therefrOm
and returned thereto shall be deemed
adulterated under the pure food act.
The cold storage article must show
the date Cf production and the time it
has been in cold storage Cold stor-
age articles. by another provision of
the bill. must be sold or offered for |
sale in frozen condition and not al |
lowed to thaw and then be put back |
in cold storage. Sanitary handling |
is provided for and numerous other
restrictions made under strongest |
penalties.