No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 79 



REPORT OF THE DAIRY AND FOOD 

 COMMISSIONER 



Harrisbiirg, Pa., December 31, 1911. 



Hon. N. B. Critchfield, Secretary of Agriculture: 



Dear Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith a report of the Dairy 

 and Food Bureau of the Department of Agriculture, for the year end- 

 ing December 31, 1911. It covers the operations for the year and con- 

 tains some details that may be useful for public information. 



INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 



The work of this Bureau of the Department of Agriculture is very 

 precisely determined by the language of the several State food 

 acts. The general body of food statutes remained, with two excep- 

 tions presently to be mentioned, the same as in preceding years; 

 hence, the general character of the work in the past year has been 

 like that of the years immediately preceding. Since the general 

 nature of ^s work has been quite fully discussed in preceding reports, 

 it probabJprequires no discussion of its principles at this time. 



There have, however, been added to the statutes, the enforcement 

 of which the Legislature has committed to the care of the Dairy and 

 Food Bureau, two new and important laws, which call for especial 

 consideratron in this connection. 



THE SAUSAGE ACT 



The first of these two acts is what is generally known as the sausage 

 act, approved on the 6th day of April, A. D. 1911. This act defines 

 sausage, prohibits the selling, the offering and exposing for sale and 

 the possessing with intent to sell, of sausage that is adulterated, under 

 the definitions of the act, and then in a third section declares that 

 the following conditions shall* be regarded as adulterations: 



First. The addition of water in excessive amounts, beyond the limit 

 specifically indicated by the law. 



Second. The presence of any cereal or vegetable flour. 



Third. The presence of coal tar dyes, certain chemical preservatives 

 and other substances injurious or deleterious to health. 



Fourth. The presence of diseased, contaminated, filthy or decom- 

 posed substance, products from a diseased animal, or one dying other- 

 wise than by slaughter, or from substances so stored, trans})orted, or 

 handled as to render them unfit for use in foods. 



Prior to the passage of this act, it had been known for some time 

 that serious abuses existed, widespread, in the sausage trade. It is 



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