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/614

 ing matter, flavors, glucose, preservatives, and other added substances is not admitted for the pure products, and when used the fact should be plainly indicated in the English language upon the label. These bodies should not bear the name of any one fruit alone if they are made from mixtures of fruit or fruit juices.

10. Sausage is the comminuted edible meat of healthy slaughtered animals, commonly used as food, mixed with salt and condimental substances. The packages should bear the certificate of an official inspector as to purity, and if pork, that it is free from trichinæ. The addition of preservatives should be plainly stated upon the label, and if these preservatives be deemed injurious to health, such sausages can not be admitted. Coloring matters when used are under similar restrictions.

11. Salad (edible) oils shall bear the name of the substance from which they are made, namely, olive, cottonseed, sesame, peanut, etc. The designation "salad oil" is not sufficient. If mixtures, this fact should be plainly stated upon the label, in harmony with the principles already laid down. The ingredients of a mixed oil should have their origin (country) named upon the label in order to conform with the provisions of the law.

12. Vinegar should contain not less than 4 percent of acetic acid. The kind of vinegar should be named upon the label, namely, cider vinegar, wine vinegar, malt vinegar, spirit vinegar—meaning vinegar derived from the acetous fermentation of cider, wine, malt liquors, or distilled spirits, respectively. Any added coloring or other foreign matter should be noted upon the label and in the declaration.

13. Labeling.—If more than one article be present in a food product, the name of one of the substances alone is not deemed to be a sufficient label. If peas or beans have a portion of copper, the label should state that fact. The various natural constituents of a food product need not be noted, for the presence of the usual condimentary substances employed in foods, viz., sugar, salt, spices, vinegar, and wood smoke. The term "sugar" is used in its usual signification, viz., sugar made from sugar cane, sugar beets, maple trees, sorghum etc. When sugars are made by the artificial hydrolysis of starch, by an acid or salt, that fact should be noted on the label by the term "glucose," or starch sugar. "Grape sugar" is not admitted as a correct term for such products.

The above specific illustrations indicate the position of the Department in regard to the general character of food products which may be imported without question.

The importer will do well to require his agents in foreign countries to carefully comply with the general principles set forth. In a few words they may be summarized as follows: Freedom from deleterious substances, notification of added foreign substances, truthfulness in labeling.

The standards of purity for food products, which have been fixed by the Secretary of Agriculture in harmony with existing law, are given in Circular No. 13 of the Secretary's Office and are applicable to imported foods, which should conform to these established standards.

(F. I. D. 5.)

PROPOSED REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE LABELING OF IMPORTED FOOD PRODUCTS.

November 17, 1904.

(a)

The use of sulfate of copper as a coloring matter in certain green vegetables has become quite prevalent. Sulfate of copper is a substance which in itself acts as a quick