The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-07-10
BSe Of Canned Foods Increases * As New Standards Are Enforced
Public Said To Be Responding To More Rigid Restrictions
 By Increasing Of Its Purchases

milk and canned meat and meat lproducts-not fish and poultry. The amendment gives the sec- retary of agriculture authority to set standards of quality, condition, and fill of container of all canned food, with the two exceptions 1 mentioned. If a product falls below the standard of quality, condition, or fill establish ed, 1t must bear a plain and con- spicuous statement of such nature as to advise the buyer that that food is below standard. The designation has been set. It is Below United States Standard-Low Quality, But Not Illegal. Those words will be the buyers guide after certain date, q period of at least 90 days after formulation of official stand ards.
 Standards for canned peaches, peas, and pears already have been worked out, announced by the secre- tary, and will go into effect May 1S. Tentative standards for canned toma- | toes, apricots, and cherries have been announced and, following official hearings and consideration by the trade, the consumer, and the depart mcnt of agriculture, will become law. Standards for other canned foods are being worked out and will be official | ly announced as soon as possible. Meaning to Buyer
 Now, what will the enforcement of the canners' bill mean to the buyer? | It will mean
 ] First, that quality and condition stands for practically all classes of canned foods except meat and meat ] food products, and canned milk, will 1 be eventually set by the secretary of agriculture.
 Second, that a standard fill of container for such products will be enforced. This standard of fill has | been drawn up already, thus guar | anteeing the housewife protection against slack filled cans.
 Third, that the buyer of canned foods will not have to worry about slack fills, and as standards for each class are formulated and promul- gated, about getting an inferior or below standard product for the price she pays for a standard-quality or superior food. Canned goods fall ing below the standard will be con- sp.cuously labeled: Below IT. s. Standard-Low Quality but not H. legal. Since the food and drug act prohibits the sale in interstate com of adulterated, misbranded. or injuri- ous foods, the housewife who de- sires Il cheap product for some par ticular reason will be perfectly safe ir buying canned foods that bear this low standard label.
 Quality Requirement. Explained
 The value of the canners' bill to the housewife, to the consumer, will be the assurance that the canned foods she purchases meet definite, minimum quality re- quirement established by a gov ornment agency. The amendment will not constitute d bar to tbe manufacture and sale of wholesome canned food of a quality lower than the standard, but such products will have to be labeled so that if the buyer wishes a less expensive canned food, she will be ableto buy 1t with full knowledge of it's character and, i. is presumed, at a lower price. We in the food and drug administration feel that housewife with limited budget should be enabled, under the terms of the canners' bill, to buy a substantial product within the reach of her pock etbook which will carry the nutritive if not the aesthetic value of standard canned foods provided she reads intelligently the labelling required by the amendment to appear on the can.
 Substandard Product Wholesome
 It is not the food and drug admin istration's conception of the purpose Of congress, in enacting this bill, that the labelling for Substandard foods was intended to stigmatiZe unduly the article to which 1t is applied. The amendment makes it very clear that it's purpose is to let the cOnsum- CT know what goods are below the standard, but the substandard prod uct will be wholesome and edible, even if not so palatable or so attrac- tive as the standard product. If the food were unwholesome or inedible, it's distribution would be illegal un- der the terms of the national pure food laws.
 l might say, in conclusion. that in any of you want d copy of the canners' bill, together with standards formulated for canned peas, peaches and pears. as well as of the legal label designation for substandard goods and the fill -of-container speci- fications required by the bill, you can get all this in circular called "Service and Regulatory Announce ments" F. D. No. 4. Write the Fed cral Food and Drug Administration, Washington, ID. C.
 (Thc foregoing Is the full text
 of an address delivered in the Ma
 tiOnal Farm and Home Hour over
 associated stations of the National
 BrOadt1Stinr COmIMny,)