474 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 



This investigation is still under way, and it is possible that the serious 

 corrosion in instances may prove to be due to the use of inferior tin, 

 as some importations are received which show no corrosion whatever, 

 the interior of the cans being bright and clean. 



Collaborative work has been done on methods of analysis of vari- 

 ous products, including maple sirup, cocoa products, vanilla extracts, 

 citral in lemon extracts, detection of foreign oil in paprika, detection 

 of fish oils in vegetable oils, determination of color in spirits, and 

 estimation of benzoic acid in tomato ketchup. 



The number of hearings (293) held during the fiscal year was ap- 

 proximately 50 per cent greater than in the previous year. From the 

 evidence offered at the hearings, and other general sources of infor- 

 mation, the manufacturers and others involved seemed in most in- 

 stances to be in hearty sympathy with the authorities in the enforce- 

 ment of the food and drugs act. Many products which formerly 

 were badly adulterated or misbranded are now found to be in strict 

 compliance with the law. 



PITTSBURG LABORATORY. 



Of the 101 import samples examined, over half were illegal, the 

 greater part of these being cheeses, which are now correctly labeled 

 in the majority of cases. 



Three hundred and seventy-eight interstate samples were exam- 

 ined, of which 216, or considerably over half, were adjudged illegal, 

 including 53 out of 76 flavoring extracts, 56 out of 94 fruit products, 

 14 out of 24 saccharine products, and 14 out of 23 vinegar samples. 

 The greater part of the 55 miscellaneous samples were examined in 

 connection with cases in preparation for prosecution; a few were 

 analyzed for the Treasury Department. Twenty-two samples of 

 Jamaica ginger were prepared and analyzed to serve as standards in 

 a case for prosecution, and experimental work was done on 8 samples 

 of coffee for the same purpose. 



Collaborative work on methods of analysis was done on the follow- 

 ing subjects: Detection of capsicum in ginger; determination of 

 sucrose, lactose, and fat in cocoa products ; determination of benzoic 

 acid in ketchup; and the analysis of sirup. Two new methods of 

 analysis were devised during the year: One, a rapid method for the 

 determination of fat in cocoa and chocolate products, which greatly 

 shortens the time of analysis ; the other, a very rapid method for the 

 detection of lemon and orange peel color in lemon and orange ex- 

 tracts, respectively. An improvement in the method for the detec- 

 tion of caramel in vanilla extracts is now being elaborated. Investi- 

 gations of imported fish disclosed the fact that amins in these prod- 

 ucts on distillation will give formaldehyde reactions. 



Twenty-two interstate samples were collected by this laboratory. 

 One of these consisted of eggs in a very bad condition and a seizure 

 was made, followed by criminal prosecution, the shippers being fined 

 $200. The dealer followed this by a civil suit and secured $1,800 

 damages. 



A considerable amount of imitation vinegar has been seized, but 

 it is evident that vigorous measures will be necessary to break up 

 this practice. Conditions affecting cleanliness in the preparation of 

 food products have improved considerably during the year, and there 



