MEAT EXTRACTS AND SIMILAR PREPARATIONS, IN- 

 CLUDING STUDIES OF THE METHODS OF ANALYSIS 

 EMPLOYED. 



CHEMICAL EXAMINATION. 

 OBJECTS OF THE INVESTIGATION. 



For several years past the Division of Foods of the Bureau of 

 Chemistry has examined many of the meat extracts and so-called 

 meat juices. During the winter of 1905-6 a complete analysis of 

 more than thirty meat preparations was made. While the work 

 was in progress, several questions were raised which demanded 

 further study and consequently delayed the publication of the results. 



The object of the investigation was to determine the condition 

 and quality of meat preparations, many of which are widely adver- 

 tised and highly recommended for invalids. The need of standards 

 for judging the merits of such preparations is evident, and the fact 

 that complete analyses of American meat preparations are not 

 available makes the publication of the results obtained desirable. 

 The tentative standards for meat extracts and meat juices, peptones, 

 and gelatin, as prepared by the Committee on Food Standards of 

 the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, are given under the 

 appropriate captions. 



DESCRIPTION OF SAMPLES. 



The samples which were analyzed in this investigation were pur- 

 chased on the retail market in the winter of 1905-6 and represent the 

 market conditions prior to the passage of the meat-inspection act by 

 Congress June 30, 1906, and the enforcement of the same by the 

 Bureau of Animal Industry. It is well known that products of this 

 class vary somewhat from year to year, and, moreover, different 

 results may be obtained on the same sample by the application of 

 different methods. As the same treatment was given to all of the 

 preparations included in this report their relative values are fairly 

 indicated. In connection with the descriptive table are given such 

 comments as the manufacturers or agents of the various prepara- 

 tions offered when the analyses were submitted to them. 



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