576 ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



reports having: to do with flavoring extracts and daiiy products. 

 This Moi"k recjuires a study of every analytical report submitted, of 

 which approximately 5,000 were handled durinf^ the year. Where the 

 report shows a violation of the law, as in 2.034 instances, a case was 

 prepared for the consideration of the Board of Food and Drug In- 

 spection, hearings were held, testimony considered, and a recom- 

 mendation was made to the board, with the submission of the evidence 

 available to maintain the action. 



Second, the import food cases: About 7,800 analytical rejiorts from 

 the branch laboratories were considered to see whether or not the 

 conclusions reached by the branch laboratories were confirmed. Atten- 

 tion was also given to 741 special cases, representing all of the new 

 points raised under the law and all cases upon which the laboratories 

 are not instructed to act directly with the collector of customs under 

 established precedent. Of these 741 cases, 558 were reported to the 

 Treasury Department as representing adulteration or misbranding 

 under tjie act and 183 were recommended to the Secretary of Agri- 

 culture for release. In each of these 741 cases samples were sub- 

 mitted by the branch laboratories with their reports, and check analy- 

 ses had to be made before the final action. 



Another part of the executive work in connection with the food 

 and drugs act is the distribution of check samples, the receiving and 

 recording of food samples sent to Washington, and the care of seeing 

 that the proper exhibits are sent to the United States attorney con- 

 cerned in each of the cases reported for prosecution. 



MISCELLANEOUS INVESTIGATIONS. 



Cn>ER VINEGAR. — In order to meet certain questions which were 

 raised in a number of vinegar trials during the past year, the work 

 on cider vinegar was extended to the study of the manufacture from 

 the raw material through to the finished product. A field laboratory 

 was established in Lyons, N. Y., in the early fall, and samples of the 

 fresh apple juice made each day through the pressing season were 

 taken and examined. About 250 samples of the fermented cider at 

 various stages and the vinegar made from this cider were also exam- 

 ined, so that now there are complete data upon the changes taking 

 place in fermentation of the fresh apple juice to the final acetifica- 

 tion in the generator, on about 1,500,000 gallons of cider made during 

 the past year, and the laboratoiy is in a better position than ever 

 before to maintain the actions which have been begun under the food 

 and drugs act for the adulteration of cider vinegar. - 



Malt liquors. — A special study of the composition of malt liquors 

 made on a factory scale from various materials was carried on dur- 

 ing the past year to show the effects of the various raw materials 

 used in the manufacture of beer, ales, etc., upon the finished product. 

 Six large breweries cooperated, so that the investigation included 

 seeing the raw materials weighed out and following them through 

 the various steps. Analyses were made of samples taken at various 

 stages, including the fresh wort, the new fermented products, and the 

 finished, matured products as they go on the market. One hundred 

 and thirty-one samples of beers, ales, and worts were analyzed, and 

 as a result the composition of various samples taken on the market 

 can be known with certainty; this information has already proved 

 correct in a number of cases brought under the enforcement of the act. 



