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/618

 mittee have been communicated to the Department of Agriculture and are under consideration. Investigations have also been conducted by the Department of Agriculture relating to the effects of sulfurous acid upon health and digestion.

Pending the final conclusions which may result from a study of all these data the provisional limit of sulfurous acid in imported wines will be established as follows: For dry wines, as defined in the standards of purity fixed by this Department in Circular No. 13 of the Secretary's Office, entitled "Standards of Purity for Food Products," 200 milligrams of total sulfurous acid per liter; for wines containing not more than 2 percent of sugar, 250 milligrams per liter; for wines containing not to exceed 3 percent of sugar, 300 milligrams per liter; for wines containing over 3 percent of sugar, 350 milligrams of total sulfurous acid per liter. These provisional standards will be in effect until further orders.

(F. I. D. 14.)

ANALYSES OF EXPORTS MUST BE MADE BEFORE SHIPMENT, ON SAMPLES TAKEN FROM ACTUAL CARGO.

March 10, 1905.

In the case of an attempt to introduce a condensed beef juice into Turkey the Turkish Government refused to admit the product "until an analysis thereof and a report on such analysis, duly certified by the Government of the United States and by the Turkish consul at New York, is presented to the Turkish authorities." Application being made to the Department of Agriculture, through the Department of State, for such certified analysis, the blank forms used for such certifications were supplied, when the following features of the case were developed, as set forth in a letter from the counsel of the company desiring the certificate:

The forms which you inclose relate to a specific shipment of goods to any particular country and call for the selection of samples from the particular lot of goods set aside for shipment

The Turkish authorities evidently do not require that such analysis and certificate should be presented in connection with each shipment, but only that a general analysis and certificate should be given. Upon the presentation of such general certificate permission can be obtained for the introduction of such goods without subsequent analysis and certificate.

In view of these facts the Department, under date of March 10, 1905, rendered the following decision:

I regret that we are not able to adopt the views of the Turkish authorities of which you speak, and in harmony therewith make an analysis of your product and give a general certificate, as you desire. Under the regulations established for carrying out the law, to which the Secretary of State called your attention, this Department can only make analyses of samples from the actual cargo before its shipment.

(F. I. D. 15.)

PLACING PRESERVATIVES IN VINEGAR.

April 10, 1905.

Food products which are artificially colored will be admitted temporarily provided the color contained therein is not injurious to health. In regard to a preservative in vinegar, in the first place I can see no possible reason why a preservative should be put in vinegar, which is itself a preservative. In the second place, not knowing its character I could base no opinion on its admissibility. If flavoring matters are placed in vinegar—that is, aromatic substances—there is no objection whatever to their presence. Preservatives, with