90 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



COUNTERFEIT DAIRY PRODUCTS IN CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS. 



There is no question, whatever, as to the unlawfulness for any charitable 

 or penal institution to furnish to its inmates any article designed to take the 

 place of genuine butter derived wholly from pure, unadulterated milk or cream, 

 and tlie parties selling such substitutes for butter not made from pure, un- 

 adulterated milk or cream are also liable to prosecution for every such offense. 



The courts of Pennsylvania have affirmed these views, and the Dairy and 

 Food officials must enforce the laws. Special and frequent investigations of 

 the supplies of such institutions have been made from time to time, samples of 

 butter obtained for analysis, and it is a gratifying fact that the year just 

 ended has revealed no violation of the statute. 



An examination of the records kept by a requirement of both State and 

 Federal laws proved that some of the Pennsylvania dealers in oleomargarine 

 were shipping large quantities of the article to numerous public institutions 

 located beyond our State lines, but were safe and beyond our interference. 

 Somewhat strange as it may appear to the average Pennsylvania dairyman, 

 reliable information has reached the Dairy and Food Commissioner that some 

 of the State Normal Schools wei'e extensive and regular buyers of renovated 

 or "process butter," rather than use the home product of the farm, which 

 could be purchased at a very slight additional cost. This revelation was all 

 the more surprising because such schools are located in the heart of agricul- 

 tural districts. 



TESTS FOR OLEOMARGARINE AND RENOVATED BUTTER. 



Numerous correspondents have renewed inquiries for simple and easy methods 

 of distinguishing between fresh butter, renovated or process butter and oleo- 

 margarine. The "spoon test" is suggested as a simple household test. A lump 

 of butter two or three times the size of a pea is placed in a large spoon and 

 heated over an alcohol lamp or Bunsen burner. If more convenient, the spoon 

 may be held over the chimney of an ordinary kerosene lamp, or over an 

 ordinary illuminating gas burner. 



If the sample in ciuestion be fresh butter, it will boil quickly and quietly, 

 with the evolution of many small bubbles throughout the mass which produce 

 a considerable amount of foam. Oleomargarine and renovated butter, on the 

 other hand, sputter and crackle, making a noise somewhat similar to that 

 noticeable when a green stick is placed in a fire. 



Another point of distinction is noted if a" small portion of the sample be 

 placed in a small liottle and set in a vessel of water sufficiently warm to melt 

 the butter. The sample i^ kept melted from half an hour to an hour, when it is 

 carefully examined. If renovated butter or oleomargarine, the fat will be tur- 

 bid, while if genuine butter, the fat will almost certainly be entirely clear. 



There are other tests, but with only ordinary facilities, they are rather too 

 complicated and uncertain, and therefore not recommended. Of course, when 

 suspected samples are submitted by the special agents of the Dairy and Food 

 Bureau, the chemists make a thorough and exhaustive analysis. The sense of 

 taste and smell would not suffice for testing suspected oleomargarine. 



ILLEGAL PEDDLING OF OLEOMARGARINE. 



One of the many obstacles encountered in the vigorous enforcement of the 

 oleomargarine law of Pennsylvania was that presented in Philadelphia where 

 peddling was in vogue by unlicensed parties. These violators of the law made 

 a canvass of their respective districts, selling oleomargarine to boarding-house 

 keepers and private families at the price of fancy butter. While the special 

 agents of the Bureau, by vigilance and careful detective work, very often suc- 

 ceeded in obtaining samples of the oleomargarine sold, either from the peddler 

 direct, or through some boarding-house keeper or private family, it was 

 necessary to apply the usual heat-test, as well as subject the sample to 

 chemical analysis in order to prevent mistakes. While this necessary work was 

 being done, the peddler made his escape, and in some instances, would not 

 reappear in that piart of the city, thus baffling all attempts to arrest him. It 

 was further believed that housewives, innocently or otherwise, referred to 

 the agent's work in procuring samples, and thus assisted in frustrating all 

 plans to arrest the violators of law. 



This part of the field work demands the greatest amount of tact and good 

 judgment, and it is absolutely necessary that the shrewdest detective resources 

 be exercised by our agents in order to an est such violators. When caught, 

 the Dairy and Food Bureau will insist that the heaviest penalty be imposed, 

 since a double wrong is Inflicted. While the practice was common at one time, 

 it is believed that it will soon be obsolete, and that none but properly licensed 

 dealers will be willing to handle or attempt to sell oleomargarine in this 

 State. 



