BUREAU OF CHEMISTRY. 205 



eggs. It is reported that never before have the eggs arriving in 

 the market been of so uniformly high quality. 



Continued attention has been given to the sanitar}'^ supervision of 

 the milk supplies at certain points receiving milk in interstate or 

 foreign commerce. At the same time steps have been taken in coop- 

 eration with the local officials to improve the very poor sanitary con- 

 ditions in some of the milk condensaries. The standardizing of milk 

 for condensing purposes has been investigated. A large amount of 

 work in connection w^ith the examination of samples of condensed 

 milk has been performed for the information of the Quartermaster's 

 Department of the Army, the United States Food Administration, 

 and the allied Governments. 



With a view to preventing the shipment of polluted clams by 

 the methods which have been largely successful in preventing the 

 shipment of oysters from polluted beds, a study of the clam industry 

 has been begun. 



The work begun in other years to prevent the packing of decom- 

 posed tomato stock has been continued and extended, and steps have 

 been taken, in cooperation w^ith local officials and with the manu- 

 facturers themselves, to improve the sanitary conditions of the pack- 

 ing plants. The adulteration of canned tomatoes with added water 

 has also received much attention. 



The extensive use of corn meal and corn flour as a substitute for 

 wheat flour has made it necessary to givB attention to shipments 

 of spoiled corn meal which have deteriorated, owing to unfavorable 

 conditions of manufacture, storage, or shipment. 



As already indicated, scarcity of supplie's and high prices have 

 made it necessary to give much attention to types of food products 

 which have not in recent years been especially subject to sophistica- 

 tion. For example, owing to the embargo upon olive oil, much so- 

 called olive oil actually consisting wdiolly or very largely of cotton- 

 seed oil or corn oil has found its way upon the market. Drastic action 

 in the way of seizure and criminal prosecution has been necessary to 

 correct this type of violation. 



The shortage in the apple crop during the past two years has occa- 

 sioned the use of distilled vinegar as an adulterant, and it has been 

 necessary, therefore, to give especial attention to shipments of 

 vinegar. 



The high price of eggs has brought forth a flood of so-called egg 

 substitutes. As a general rule, these preparations consist essentially 

 of a mixture of starch and baking powder, colored yellow, with or 

 without added casein. They have neither the food value nor the 

 effect of eggs in cooking or baking, and are sold under labels which 

 bear extravagant claims as to their culinary value and at prices far 

 in excess of their intrinsic worth. A study has been made of such 

 egg substitutes, and action inaugurated. 



The cessation of importations of gelatin led to the sale as edible 

 gelatin of glue contaminated with mercury or zinc, a practice against 

 which action was begun last year, and continued with success this 

 year. 



Much attention has been given to the adulteration of oats with 

 barley, weed seeds, and screenings, and seizures and criminal prose- 

 cutions in such cases have been instituted. 



