92 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



Food Commissioner should continue his "laudable work of protect- 

 ing the dairying interests of Pennsylvania." It is gratifying to 

 learn thai the work has, at least, in a measure, met with public 

 approbation. It is equally pleasant to assure (he dairying and 

 kindled interests that (lie work will not be relaxed, so long as the 

 present officials of the Department of Agriculture and Dairy and 

 Food Division remain in authority. Suffice it to state that the 

 work already performed is the best and safest criterion as to the 

 future course of this office. 



HOW OLEOMARGARINE IS MADE. 



Many correspondents have inquired for information concerning 

 the manufacture of oleomargarine. The best available information 

 is to the effect that it was first manufactured in France, instead 

 of the United States, as many persons supposed. It originated in 

 1869, at the instance of the French government having offered a 

 prize for the discovery of the best substitute for butter at a de- 

 creased cost. A Parisian chemist, M. Mege-Mouries, won the prize. 

 The industry was early introduced into the United States, but the 

 figures and history prior to 1869 are indefinite and unreliable. 



The number and character of the ingredients of oleomargarine 

 makes them susceptible of almost an infinite number of combina- 

 tions, and to-day nearly every manufacturer has his own formula, 

 and endeavors to impress his own individuality as a manufacturer 

 upon his product. This fact is also responsible for the varying 

 grades and prices. 



Practically all of the oleomargarine made in this country is pro- 

 duced by the simple process of churning a melted mixture of oleo 

 oil and neutral lard with milk, cream or melted butter to give it 

 the butter flavor, and coloring matter to give it any desired shade 

 of yellow in semblance of butter. In the cheap grades cottonseed 

 oil is often substituted for a portion of the oleo oil and neutral 

 lard, but never to the total exclusion of either. The French chemist 

 was fully persuaded that the butter-fat contained in milk was 

 absorbed from the animal tissues of the cow, and his attention was, 

 therefore, directed to the discovery of a process that would separate 

 from beef-fat the oil similar to that of milk. That he succeeded, 

 the magnitude of the oleomargarine business thoroughly attests. 



In order to give further information, the following formulas, 

 showing different ingredients and their variation in quantity, are 

 presented : 



CHEAP GRADE OLEOMARGARINE. 



Pounds. 



Oleo oil," 495 



Neutral lard 265 



Cottonseed oil, 315 



Milk, 255 



Salt, 120 



Color, 1| 



1,4514. 

 Which will produce from 1,265 to 1,300 pounds. 



