The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-06-05
RIPE OLIVES AGAIN
DECLARED SAFE BY
THE FOOD EXPERTS

WASHINGTON. June 4--Eipc olives
have been restored To favor. 1t Is again
safe to eat them. according TO govern
ment experts. The appctzinS dctlcacL
which. by reason OF a few instances Of
| imperfect packing, was brought mo
temporary disfavor all over the United
States, has been officially restored TO
| its place at the table and cpicur"S may
! breath n sigh of satisfaction. lnc!ueh-
tally. the bacillus hotulinuS. that unF
organism responsible for III" ripe oiiN'
lundcScryrd loss of popularity. has been
utterly routed and destroyed and. hence
| forth. must seek other fields:
Secretary Meredith. OF III" pcpart-
mcnt OF Agriculture. in making pnoIlS
! the result of II thorough investigation
/ by government chemists of cases OF
| poisoning due 10 the eating al ripe
olives. said the trouble was not due 10
! the containers IN which they were PACK
| od. but To isolated cases OF inadequate
sterilization. TIL" chemists. found, II"
said, that il WAS pOSsibl" TO Sterlllz"
| completely both glass Jars and TN cans
/ 10 eliminate all possible future trouple
| he said the packers have adopted tn" de-
partment Recommendation that the olives
! he subjected to not less than 40 de-
grcCS OF heat IL prevent tn" roSHihl'itH
| OF danger 10 IN" consumer. rms III
| creased sterilization, II Is Said. IN II"
way effects the flavor or 'dihiI'y o.
! the relish,
Matter Of Prejudice.
Owing 10 prcjud:Gc due To IN" pun
! LEFTY given cases OF poisoning RON
eating ripe olives. according 70 nne
packers. the rip" Olive packing !" iuH-
try has been practically destroyed. the
demand having fallen off 20 rtr cen :
50 widespread was this prejudice ihal
the consumption Of green olives Wa
similarly reduced although no latdl
tbs were traced to the us" or them
is believed that the action of the 'e-
partmsnt OF Agriculture in discovering
thla the cause Of poisoning was no,
due to either tin cans or glass Jars am
in uniting the packers IN a cn-"prr"lN .
movement To Sta3dardizC their pr"uucIS
by absolutely safe methods 81 SlrflII"h
ton will restore the olive industry l"
It's former position in American trade.
THE Bureau Of chemistry Of u: De
parlment OF Agriculture. says Hrrre'
tary Meredith. "auihUrIHcd the StAt'-
mcnt that it has met with q Eratll!ih%;
degree Of cooperation on IN" part o..
hackers "C ripe Olives IN improving
methods to such an extent that danger
from botulinus poisoning III future
packs Will be- eliminated.
Five groups OF deaths traced 10 POI
son produced by the organism known as
Bacillus boruliuus have occurred III
New York city. Detroit. M!rh.. Hanton'
Ohio. Memphis. Tenn. MAl;Sprii: Mont
All Of thss, cases were du~ 10 IN" CON
sumption of rlrc olives. y" fatalities
have been traced to green Dives 49,.
Very extensive investigations have
been made by scientists from IN" Eur
eau Of Chemistry with the cooperation
Of the packers. and the packers haNr
also employed Specialists to study me
causes Of botuliuuS poisoning and tHr
precautions which should hc employed
TO prevent further difficulty. tn" cN-
perts agree that The trouble IS not m
hrrcu, In tue type OF Cou'A!nrr uS"d.
Whether the olives be- packed IN glass
jars or In lin cans they may hc rem
Jcr.l absolutely SAFE If proper precau
lions arp taken to prevent the infection
with bacteria during handling. and II
the packages when filled are steriI'zcd
., 4 sufficient temperature" and Tor i
sufficient period OF time. III - ch't-,
nracticable. say the specialists. Y" St"r-
ilizc both glass containers and tn 'ihN
at a temperature high enough 10 inNUr"
absolute sterilization.
Excepttonal Cases