278 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



result of the investigation a circular has been published on " Some 

 experiments Avith a boric-acid canning powder." 



In the investigation of the control of cream and butter further 

 work was done for the purpose of correlating the microscopic count 

 of oidia and yeasts with the physical condition of the cream used in 

 manufacture. These investigations clearly show that a general cor- 

 relation can be established between low counts of these organisms 

 in butter and the use of good cream and between comparatively 

 high counts and the use of generally old cream, but the methods used 

 in manufacture destroy the quantitative value of such counts in esti- 

 mating the relative age or relative deterioration of the different 

 samples. It is therefore perfectly possible b}^ microscopic examina- 

 tion to show that old cream has been used, although it is not possible 

 to determine how bad the sample of old cream was before uianu- 

 facture. 



The results of this investigation were published during the year 

 in papers entitled " Determination of yeasts and oidia in high-grade 

 experimental butter," " The volatile acids and the volatile oxidizable 

 substances of cream and experimental butter," " Creamery inspection 

 data," and " Determination of yeasts and oidia in cream and butter;" 



The inA'estigation of salmon canning has furnished an adequate 

 experimental basis for correlating the texture and odor of the fish as 

 found in the commercially canned product with the condition of the 

 fish before canning. By this work, in which experimental packs of 

 fish in known condition were prepared, a basis has been furnished 

 for satisfactor}^ testimony in court with reference to this product. 

 No other means would have given the adequate information obtained 

 in this manner. ^ The results have been published in papers entitled 

 " Decomposition of ' feedy ' salmon," " A comparative study of spoil- 

 age in salmon," and " The sources and characteristics of the bacteria 

 in decomposing salmon." 



Work is under way on condensed milk, to develop a method of ex- 

 amination of the finished product which will reveal the condition of 

 the raw milk as received at the condensery. The application of such 

 a method will make it possible to regulate traffic in condensed milk 

 made from raw milk of insanitary quality. 



In connection with the study of molds, their activity as fer- 

 menting agents in certain food products has been a subject of 

 investigation over a period of years. One of the products studied 

 has been soy sauce, which is produced by the fermentation of soy 

 beans and wheat, using various strains of Aspergillus belonging to 

 the flavus-orj'zae group as the principal agent of fermentation. In 

 this work the bureau had the voluntary assistance for six months 

 of Dr. Kokichi Oshima, a Japanese student from Sapporo, Japan, 

 who submitted at the close of his work two papers. One of them 

 has been published under the title, " Promising development of soya- 

 bean sauce (studies on the protease of the Aspergillus oryzse-flavus 

 group and its role in shoyu brewing)."' The other, concerning the 

 diastatic activity of the same group of organisms, is in course of 

 publication. 



A study has been made of the bacteriology of dried eggs and the 

 correlation of the bacteriological condition of the dried product 

 with the character of the materials used in manufacture. In <2;eii- 



