Page:Foods and their adulteration; origin, manufacture, and composition of food products; description of common adulterations, food standards, and national food laws and regulations (IA foodstheiradulte02wile).pdf/410

 of fruit juice is sugar, it is seen that the natural sugar plus the addition makes up practically the total solid components in articles of this kind.

Adulteration of Fruit Sirup.—Fruit sirups have been extensively and unnecessarily adulterated. The principal adulteration is the omission of the pasteurization process and the preserving of the fruit juice by means of an antiseptic. The two antiseptics which have been most commonly employed for this purpose are salicylic and benzoic acids. At the present time, by reason of prohibitive legislation in respect of salicylic acid, benzoic acid or its compounds are quite universally employed. These antiseptics are injurious to health and even in small quantities cannot fail to have some deleterious effect upon the system. As they are not necessary in the preservation of fruit sirups, they should be rigidly excluded therefrom. In justice to those who use antiseptics of this kind it is said that, as a rule, they frankly admit that these sirups can be preserved by sterilization, but that when consumed they are used only in small quantities, and when the air has access to the remaining portion fermentation is set up. To this the answer may be made that if unstoppered and used under proper conditions to avoid the admission of germs, and if kept on ice or in a cool place, fermentation will not set up for several days, during which time opportunity will be had for disposing of the contents of the bottle. It does not appear that there is any convincing reason to warrant the continuance of the use of preservatives in this kind of products.

Imitation Fruit Sirups.—By far the most general adulteration of fruit sirups is that of the imitations thereof, pure and simple, by synthetic products, The flavors which give to fruits their character and aroma are chemical compounds produced by Nature and are chiefly of the nature of a volatile oil or compound ether. Of these flavors, the compound ethers especially are readily produced by purely synthetic processes. It is possible, therefore, for the chemist to make an approximate imitation of the natural fruit flavor. No difference how great his skill, however, or the skill of the mixer, there is always a gustatory and hygienic difference between the synthetic and the natural product, and the natural product always has the advantage of the difference. While I do not go so far as to say that synthetic flavors or sirups should be excluded in the preparation of non-alcoholic beverages, I do say with emphasis that they should never be used, except with notificaton to the consumer, and never, under any circumstance, if they contain any ingredient which is prejudicial to health.

One of the principal arguments which has been made against the enactment of the pure food bill has been that it would exclude from the market these synthetic products. At least let them be sold under their proper designations. A law which requires plain and honest branding can hardly be objected to on any ground whatever.