OLEOMARGARINE. 417 



A 10,000,000-bale crop of cotton gives 5,000,000 tons of seed. Two 

 hundred and twenty-five million gallons of oil from this seed may be 

 sold without injury to the soil upon which the plant grows, but the 

 residue should not be exported. The sale from the land of this nitrog- 

 enous by product results in shorter crops and ultimate sterility, which, 

 however, may be arrested by encouraging dairying and feeding for 

 meats. 



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There is an impression abroad that the oleomargarine industry is as 

 legitimate and praiseworthy as making butter from the cow. As far as 

 the making of oleo oil, to be sold as such, is concerned, there is no con- 

 troversy, but that the mixture of ingredients that compose oleomargarine 

 is as healthy as the butter from milk of the cow nobody who has inquired 

 into both can believe. The flavor of butter, a prime element in palatabil- 

 ity and digestibility, comes from bacteria universally present whenever 

 milk is exposed to the atmosphere. Fine butter has a fine flavor, one 

 of its principal characteristics. Bacteria feed upon casein, an element 

 not found in vegetable fats nor in the tallow of animals. The imitation 

 of butter known as oleomargarine is washed in milk in order that some 

 of the casein may be present as the basis of the flavor. The imitation, 

 in as far as it varies from genuine butter, lacks both the flavor that 

 comes from a full complement of casein and the digestibility natural to 

 the cow's product. It is well known that the scalding of milk kills the 

 bacterial growth, after which it will keep longer, but its digestibility 

 is greatly impaired. Butter for immediate consumption is but slightly 

 worked, so that the leaving within it of a considerable amount of casein 

 will grow bacteria and develop flavor. If it is to be consumed in a 

 week it is worked over more, and if within two weeks still more. If it 

 is to be kept for months the buttermilk with the casein is thoroughly 

 worked out, unless it is to be put in cold storage and kept at a tem- 

 perature at which bacteria will not multiply. 



Milk contains a ferment that changes casein into a digestible nutri- 

 ent. The imitation of butter made by the chemist is a mixture of fats 

 that should be sold for what it is. It is not as palatable nor as digesti- 

 ble nor as grateful to the human system. The digestible juices flow freely. 

 When palatable food is eaten, the mouth waters. Oils and fats as 

 such have their uses, but the coloring of them deceives the people and 

 induces a consumption as liberal as with butter, which, while not so 

 injurious to people in full vigor as to children and invalids, is nevertheless 

 undoubtedly harmful. The yellow coloring of butter iti winter, when 

 it has a light shade, if green cured hay or roots are not used, deceives 

 nobody. The yellow coloring of a mixture of fats is with intent to 

 deceive. 



The present law is not well enforced ; it is evidently difficult of enforce- 

 ment. The effacement of marks and brands is easily done. The great- 

 est sufferers are the poorer classes and consumers who have not the 

 opportunity to select their food. If there were no coloring there would 

 be no fraud. The most intelligent are deceived, however, with good 

 imitations, and from careful inquiry I am satisfied that most of us are 

 using the bogus product at greatly increased expense over the price of 

 the oils of commerce, and with danger to health from the less digest- 

 ible and less palatable imitation. 



Mr. SCHELL. If the Secretary will allow me, I would like to ask him 

 just one question. You speak of the majority of oleomargarine that 

 is produced being sold and palmed off upon the consummer for butter. 

 I would like to know upon what basis you reason out that conclusion. 



S. Rep. 2043 27 . 



