BEVERAGES.

Of 121 samples of soft drinks examined to determine the condition of the market prior to legal action, 61 were found to contain neither saccharine nor a preservative, 53 contained saccharine, 6 contained salicylic acid and benzoic acid. The following table shows the class of drinks examined, etc.:

1

2

95942222623

4

3

61

1

1

3

59

50

5

2

The samples were all taken from the manufacturer and it was found that some were using extract of soap bark to produce a more permanent foam. Soap bark, according to the U. S. dispensatory, owes this property to the saponin in the bark. It further states, "Saponin, as found in commerce, is a powerful poison. Kobert states, however, that pure saponin, C19 H62 010, is destitute of physiological action, and that the saponin depends for its activity mainly upon quillaiac acid and sapotoxin." It then proceeds with a discussion of the irritant and poisonous property of these constituents of soap bark. Truly in the light of all these facts it is time that the soft drink question received attention. At a hearing granted the pop manufacturers the Cook county Bottlers' Protective Association proposed the following standard:

"Unfermented beverages, generally known as soft drinks, such as soda water, pop, ginger ale, root beer, etc., are mixtures of sugar sirup (sucrose sirup), with pure water, with or without carbonic acid gas, flavored with natural flavors and colored with harmless, permissible colors, with or without a harmless foam-producing substance, such as gum arabic, gum tragacanth, gelatin, albumen, etc., and which contain no injurious ingredients of any kind. Only such synthetic or artificial extracts and flavors may be used, as are enumerated in and may be labeled imitation as per section No. 12 of the Illinois food act."

These drinks are consumed principally in the summer months and the manufacturer should be informed at once if the use of any of the above substances is to be made the basis of prosecution in the courts.

A notice at this time will reach all manufacturers in the State soon enough so that goods sold after April first should conform to your rulings. The drinks above mentioned containing saccharin are of scarcely any greater food value than so much water. Saccharin is used

to make drinks sweet. It is used for this purpose instead of sugar because the same effect of sweetness can be produced at a much less cost than when sugar is used. Sugar gives a body to a soft drink as well as being absolutely wholesome and nutritious. Saccharin has not only no nutritive value but is a substance of questionable wholesomeness. Salicylic acid is declared to be injurious in our law, and the healthfulness of benzoic acid is seriously questioned. I would therefore recommend that rulings to the following effect as made by you be enforced with reference to soft drinks and copies distributed to the trade:

1. Soap bark and injurious preservatives should not be used in soft drinks. See section 8 of the law.

2. Benzoic acid in soft drinks will subject the vendor to prosecution unless the bottle be labeled to show its presence and the amount contained*. 3. Saccharin in soft drinks will subject the vendor to prosecution unless the bottle is labeled to show its presence.†

The work done in examining these drinks shows that over. 50 per cent were free from saccharin and preservatives. This better class of goods costs more to manufacture, and, unless active measures are taken the manufacturers of the pure goods will soon be forced to adulterate them in order to meet competition. The baseball fan and others who consume these beverages are entitled to get some value for their money and to receive an article whose healthfulness is above question.

The State law requires that all manufactured goods be labeled with the true name of the article. Saccharin and preservatives are adulterations and must be declared on the label. The fact that it will cost more to put a label on these products than to use sugar where saccharin was used, is no reason why the manufacturer should not be compelled to give notice to the consumer by a label when he is selling adulterated goods. Let him use sugar and give the purchaser "something good to drink."

The table of illegal beverages which follows is self explanatory.

SODA WATER SUPPLIES.

The fruits and sirups used at our soda fountains are in very many cases adulterated with benzoate of soda. These goods are not served from the original packages. No notice is given the consumer that the goods contain benzoate of soda. The healthfulness of this substance is seriously questioned (see article on preservatives in this report.) Soda. water is consumed in large quantities by many individuals some of whom would not voluntarily consume food containing benzoate of soda. The prospective customer should be notified when the sirups or fruits used at the fountain contain this questionable substance so that he may use his discretion as to purchasing it. The law and rulings of this department require that the retailer be informed by the label. The law re

*See Rules and Labels No. 15. †See Rules and Labels No. 24.

quires that the retailer inform the consumer by a label. I would therefore recommend that the attention of the retailer be called to the fact that the law requires that this information be given. One label in the form of a placard attached to the fountain in a prominent place would give the consumer the necessary protection. I would recommend a ruling as follows:

In the case of sirups and fruit products which contain benzoate of soda and which are sold from soda water fountains and not kept in the original, properly labeled package, a placard easily legible to the customer shall be attached to the fountain in a prominent place bearing the statement "The sirups and fruits used at this fountain are preserved with 1-10 of one per cent benzoate of soda."

GOODS WITHOUT BENZOATE.

Sirups and fruits for soda water fountains can now be purchased which contain no benzoate of soda. These goods are prepared at so nearly the same cost that the firms have made no change in the price except that occasioned by the use of smaller packages. The packages used are of a kind that can be washed and sold so that there will be no additional cost except a difference of about 15 cents per gallon in the case of quart packages.

KEEP WITHOUT BENZOATE.

These goods are guaranteed to keep perfectly till opened. They will keep for a reasonable time thereafter, a week or ten days, and under favorable conditions two or three weeks.

INFORM THE CONSUMER.*

The retailer is always desirous of knowing whether the sirups and fruits contain a preservative so that he may know something about their keeping qualities. Is not the consumer entitled to this same information so that he may determine whether he wishes his children to purchase soda water at the nearest drug store or elsewhere?

*See Rules and Labels No. 28 and Bulletin No. 12.

BUTTER, RENOVATED BUTTER AND OLEO MARGARINE.

There is more fraud connected with the sale of renovated butter and oleomargarine than is connected with the sale of any other food product in Chicago. Of 151 samples bought as butter, creamery butter, dairy butter, country roll butter, 97 were found to be oleomargarine and S renovated butter. In almost every case those found to be oleomargarine were colored to resemble butter, which is forbidden by law.

THE POOR MAN'S BUTTER.

Oleomargarine is often called "the poor man's butter." A brief statement of what it is made, follows:

Oleomargarine or butterine is a mixture of oils obtained from beef oleo or suet fat and neutral leaf lard. An emulsion of this fat with churned milk is made, and the process continued practically the same as in the manufacture of renovated butter, which is described later. Often varying amounts of cotton seed oil are used in order to produce a color resembling light butter. Such a product is absolutely wholesome and chemical examination shows it to be composed of ingredients about 90 per cent of which are found in butter. The nutritive value of butter and oleomargarine is practically the same. Oleomargarine is manufactured in the large packing houses under proper sanitary conditions. The animal fats used are those which have passed inspection as fit for food. Butter contains about 10 per cent of fats which are not found in oleomargarine (unless butter is used as one of the ingredients.) These fats not found in oleomargarine cause butter to taste different from oleomargarine. The difference is so slight that very many people cannot detect it. The difference is more apparent when the butter and oleomargarine are served on hot biscuit or toast. A substance so much like butter which is much cheaper than butter may well be called "the poor man's butter" if he gets it at the poor man's price. In addition to paying for the oleomargarine he must also pay

THE POOR MAN'S TAX.

There is an internal revenue tax on oleomargarine of one fourth (1-4) of a cent a pound. Each retailer must pay a special internal revenue tax of six dollars ($6.00) and each wholesale dealer a tax of two hundred dollars ($200.00.) The above are the revenue taxes on uncolored oleomargarine and increase the cost of the food to the consumer of by a little more than one quarter of a cent a pound. This tax is so small that the poor man can still get his "poor man's butter" at a poor man's price.

TAXED FORTY TIMES.

If the oleomargarine is colored to resemble butter the Federal government imposes a tax of ten cents a pound (forty times that on uncolored oleomargarine) and taxes the retailer in addition forty-eight dollars ($48.00) and the manufacturer four hundred eighty dollars ($480.00,)