The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-06-20
CLEAN FOOD SHOPS
Cleanliness and Sanitation i'm Gro.
Gerry Stores Essential to Whole
some Food supply.

some Food Supply.
The officials of many States are Civ
ing attention to the sanitary condition
of country and city grocery stores, ac-
cording to the officials engaged in the
enforcement of the Federal Food and
Drug Act who recently have investi-
gated the matter. The country store
Is 9th collecting and distributing
agency of foods. e1t seels foods of
many kinds to the farmers and at
the same time buys from them for
shipment to the city butter. eggs,
fruits, vegetables, poultry and other
products of the farm. If the shelves
and counters are laden with dust, il
cobwebs hang in every nook and
corner. If flies, bugs and vermin in
habit the place. the food proucts
are certain to be more or less contain
mated and likely to become dangerous
to health. The reports from various
STATE officials indicate that many
stores have been found in the past to
be in such condition.
A clean, light, well-ventilated store
attracts customers. and the progress
i've merchant needs no other incen-
tive to keep his floor, shelves and
counters spotlessly clean. which in
cludes screening from flies and the
elimination OF all other insects. Some
storekeepers however. seem to re-
uyire prodding from the food-and
health officials to induce them to
maintain that degree OF cleanliness
which viii insure that the food they
handle will ID. free from contamina-
ton. Some OF the States have effec-
tive sanitary laws. which require fire.
quent inspection of all establish
ments where foodstuffs are put no,
manufactured. or kept for sale. Other
States depend upon the general pro
visions OF the pure-food laws which
REQUIRE the foods shall be free from
contamination A few OF the States
lack eithter Ia wthat will reach tho
unclean-nuisance or means for en-
forcing the law.
Cooperate for Cleanliness.
State food and health officials have
used various means to control effect
lively the sanitary condition of places
where foodstuffs are sold One Of the
most effective means that has been
employed Is that OF securing tho CO.
operation OF women's clubs and civic
organizati When delegation Of
women customers calls upon mer-
chant and suggests that he clean up.
he Is COMPELLED to put his store in
good condition and to keep ii so.
When the grocerymen in town find
that large portion Of tho house
keepers are buying only from tho
cleanest stores, there arises n
wholesome form of ~CwDotit'Nr. \
food inspector can, under even tn"
best conditions. inspect store but
a few times during the year. because
of the number he has tovisit. The Gus
toners come every day. however, and
when they act as unofFcial sanitary
inspectors the merchant with the un-
clean store can not escape detection
aud punishment in loss Of trade.
Competition in cleanliness has been
secured in one State by means of
colored placards which the inspector
gives the merchants who keep their
stores in a sanitary condition. a
store in excellent condition gets a
large white placard, one in fine con-
dition gets n blue placard, and one
In good condition gets red placanrd;
the store that falls below the latter
grading gets no card. The proprie-
tors are permitted to keep the pla-
cards posted in a conspicuous place
as long as the store is kept in tho
condition represented. There is keen
competition among the merchants to
get and keep the best placards. The
buying public knows what the diff
ferent colored placards signify and
are particularly partial to the white
pacard stores. Other States have
adopted a score-card system similar
to that used in grading dairies. The
inspector scores each store where
foodstuffs are sold according to GER
tain points indicated on an inspec-
tion card. The scores are made pub
lie through the local press or bby