304 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 



ICE CREAM. 



The ice cream manufacturers are to be con^atulated on the 

 showing they have made during the past year. Despite the fact 

 that raw materials have increased in price, 15 to 80 per cent, they 

 have been able to make a remarkable showing in the gross output 

 of ice cream for the year ending October 1, 1917. The output 

 for the year amounts to 4,227,397 gallons, or about one million 

 gallons less than last year. In looking tlirough our list of fac- 

 tories, we find that 493 factories were licensed, during the year. 

 Seventy-two of these have discontinued business. 



We have had very little trouble during the year in enforcing 

 the butter fat standard, having found it necessary to institute 

 less than six cases for violations. Last year we had twenty-two 

 successful prosecutions. 



We are glad to note also that dealers are giving more attention 

 to cleaning ice cream containers before returning them. Eighteen 

 paid fines for neglecting to attend to this detail. We believe that 

 paying attention to the detail of cleaning cans is partly responsible 

 for the present status of the ice cream business. Before attention 

 was paid to cleaning these containers, the presence of dirty cans 

 in places where the product was sold and on depot platforms had 

 a tendency to discredit the sanitary conditions at the ice cream 

 factories and their methods. 



The department expects to do some work during the coming 

 year wliieh will enable us to be of service to the ice cream manu- 

 facturer who desires to reduce the bacterial count of his product. 



ANALYSES. 



During the year ending November 1, 1917, the laboratory has 

 analyzed the usual number of samples with the exception of agri- 

 cultural seeds which were large during the preceding year owing 

 to the poor quality of seed corn. 



The chemists have spent 42 days attending court cases brought 

 by the Attorney General, County Attorneys and United States 

 District Attorneys. 



