REPORT STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER 457 



ner, free from adulteration and labeled to show their true 

 composition. 



The laws of Iowa give the consumer this full protection 

 and manufacturers vie with one another in putting out high 

 class foods, produced under sanitary conditions and from fresh 

 raw materials. By using these fresh raw materials and proper- 

 ly sterilizing the finished products, the use of preservatives has 

 been found unnecessary, contrary to the former belief that it 

 was impossible to keep food products for any length of time 

 without using liberal quantities of chemical preservatives. 

 Eternal vigilance, however, will always be the price the states 

 and nation must pay for clean, wholesome and honestly labeled 

 foods and drugs. As it is necessary to maintain a police foice 

 it is likewise necessary to maintain food and drug officials, to 

 protect the consumers of these products. 



Much work has been done in building up a system of 'co- 

 operation between the Federal Food Authorities and the states, 

 and much good is being accomplished in running down adulter- 

 ated and misbranded products and prosecuting those responsi- 

 ble for placing them on the market. Under the present system, 

 this department is notified, by the Federal Authorities, when 

 illegal foods and drugs have been shipped into Iowa, our in- 

 spectors are then instructed to collect samples and these are 

 sent to the Government laboratory and if found to be illegal 

 the shipments are siezed under Government orders and the 

 manufacturer is cited to appear, with the result that he is fined 

 and his goods destroyed or returned to him to be relabeled to 

 comply with the law, he giving a bond that this will be done 

 properly. Under this system it makes it difficult for the un- 

 scrupulous manufacturer to operate for any great length of 

 time. 



While there is considerable difference in the requirement 

 of the food laws of the various states, there is a general belief 

 that they should be as nearly uniform, as possible, so as to avoid 

 the extra expense of having dififerent lots of labels and foods toi 

 the different states. The added expense of such necessity un- 

 der the present condition must be borne by the consumer of 

 these products. Many of the states have modeled their food 

 and drug laws after the Federal Act and no doubt in the not 

 distant future, there will be close conformity between all laws 

 which regulate the manufacture and sale of these products, 

 which will be much to the advantage of all concerned. 



