Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-04
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING

Dairy products have for so long
| meant only milk. cream. butter and
cheese that few persons
Studying consider ice cream as
belonging to the group.
1ce OTeam. Because, however, of
the fact that Americans. young and
old have come to consume millions OF
gallons of cream and milk in the
frozen form each year the government.
through the dairy division of the De-
partment of Agriculture, Is making a
thorough study of the wholesomeness
of this all season frozen dainty.
The researches are being carried on
by the governments food specialists
with the intention of protecting the
consumer, demonstrating the effect Of
age Of the product. and of cooperating
with the manufacturers in insuring the
production of a safer and purer article.
So far the Investigations have been
confined to the condition of ice cream
as bought in retail stores patronized
by the average consumer. This phase
of the work has shown the existence
in all of the samples of numerous bac-
terra of various kinds. the numbers
mounting in some cases beyond a hun
dred million for each cubic centimeter
of the ice cream.
The great variation in the bacterial
content as between the ice creams
made by different manufacturers has
indicated at the same time that under
actual commercial conditions a very
much purer product than that usually
offered for sale can easily be produced.
This particular aspect OF the question
is now being given consideration in
the governments laboratories. and the
Investigators will soon be in a posi-
ton to offer ice cream manufa cturers
definite and valuable suggestions for
a modification of their methods.
Having learned from the investiga-
lions of others that the bacterial con-
dition of ice cream is practically the
same in all of the large cities of the
country. the federal food specialists
confined their studies to Washington,
collecting both summer and winter sam
rles from twenty-four different manu-
facturers. The investigations brought
out the fact that about IA per cent Of
containing less than 100000 bacteria
per cubic centimeter; that per cent
in winter and per cent in summer
contained the stupendous total of more
than 100 100000. and that the remainder
of the samples contained numbers of
the tiny organisms between these two
extremes. The differences between
summer and winter were shown by the
fact that only about 20 per cent of the
unit samples in the former season con-
tanned fewer than 1000. 900 bacteria
while in nearly AZ per cent of the win
ter samples the count fell below that
figure.
An interesting indication of the diff
terences that manufacturing methods
and the personal equation may make
in the purity of the product was found
In the results Of analyses of ice cream
from the same plant after what is be-
leved to have been a change in man
agement-a change at least to cleaner
conditions in the plant and the elimina-
tion of gelatin from the ice cream.
Before the change the average bacterial
content was 2s5, 100000 and after the
change. 351.5s3. both determine tons be-
Ing made from number of samples
Although numerous kinds of bacteria
were represented in the hundreds Of
thousands found in the samples in
vestigated. it was possible to divide
II was then found that about three
fourths of the organisms We're Of the
acid-forming type and that the major
itF OF those remaining were what are
commonly known as the putrefactive
bacteria Two groups represented by
relatively small numbers were the
inert bacteria whose effect is negligible
and the alkal forming bacteria of
which little is known.
In addition to the specific bacteria
already considered numerous gas-form-
ing colon baciili were disclosed as the
result of special tests. These bacilli
are distinct indicat ton Of uncles nil
ness. In the 100 samples examined
7nly fourteen were found to he free
from this type Of bacilli.
one suggestion made bv the govern
menf Investigators IS that the presence
OF bacteria in ice cream is by no
means wholly the fault Of the mann
facturers though their methods In
most cases do undoubtedly form the
most important factor in the situation
One contributing element II is pointed
out. especially in summer is the lack
of proper facilities on the farm for
keening cream cool before its shipment
to the city.