244 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



A glance at the foregoing data shows only six samples of market stand- 

 ard vinegar, Nos. 107, 119, 124, 130, 135, and 136 while as many were 

 utterly worthless. One of these latter samples was actually putrid. 

 It is very evident that one of the common occurrences in the vinegar 

 fermentation is the failure to form acetic acid even when sufficient 

 alcohol is present. The trouble may be due to the uncleanliness of the 

 container in which the sweet cider was placed, too cool a storage tem- 

 perature allowing the multiplication of 'Sduegar disease" microorgan- 

 isms, etc. These same explanations will cover also the frequent lack of 

 alcohol in the fermenting liquid. This matter is more fully discussed 

 in the vinegar bulletin. 



A marked vinegar bulletin Avas sent in response to a request relative 

 to a method of clearing vinegar, also to parties in Ohio, Iowa, Idaho 

 and North Dakota as well as in Michigan Avho made inquiries about 

 the nature of "vinegar bees." 



Requests have also come in for information on how to treat apple 

 cider to prevent fermentation and yet to retain its original flavor. 

 Pasteurization was recommended. Two other very similar requests 

 were received for information on cider making and methods of hand- 

 ling cider for beverage purposes. A company in Idaho asked for the 

 best method for preserving cider by means of drugs. They were re- 

 ferred to the Bureau of Chemistry at Washington, D. C. 



A company at Monroe, Michigan, asked for a method of making 

 rhubarb wine. Tlie information was given them tliat rhubarb in and 

 of itself contains too little sngar and too much acid to be fermentable 

 to any extent by wine yeasts and that rliubarb juice whether used as 

 a beverage in the fermented or unfermented state requires the addition 

 of so much sugar as to be almost prohibitive at the present time so far 

 as cost of material is concerned. [Zae Northrup Wyant.] 



FOOD INVESTIGATIONS. 



Canned corn: A quart mason jar of corn having a verj^ dark green- 

 ish black growth on the surface was brought in for analysis. The 

 growth proved to be a mold resembling certain species of Pcnicillium 

 and was not and could not possibly be corn smut as was thought by the 

 owner of the corn. A test of the can showed a defective rubber, allow- 

 ing the entrance of air as soon as the can was sealed hot. The spores of 

 this i)articular mold were most probably drawn into the can at the 

 time it was taken from the processing bath and sealed. Tlie mold 

 growtli was all removed from the can before testing and althougli air 

 was drawn in on cooling as before stated, the corn has remained sterile 

 (for two months) so far as visible growth is concerned. This shows 

 tliat leaky cans may not always become contaminated through tlie en- 

 trance of air. If a leaky can be tipped uj), however, so that tlie juice 

 oozes out underneatli the cover, molds and other organisms may grow 

 tlirongli the leak just as trees send their roots into a drain tile to get 

 the necessary water. 



(Utnnrd olives: Several swelled cans of olives were examined bac- 

 teriologically for the presence of B. hoiidiiius. This organism was not 

 found and it was considered unnecessary to attempt to identify the 

 organisms producing the gas. Recent studies by the Federal Government 



