TECHNICAL QUESTIONS. 15 



form to the vegetables, it is not so present in them as consumed, being converted by 

 them into a relatively insoluble and unabsorbable compound. I can conceive of 

 no conditions under which the small quantity of copper present in the above form 

 in properly preserved peas could be injurious to any consumer to whom the peas 

 themselves would be harmless. In addition, I can see, so far as concerns a possible 

 injurious effect, no analogy between this compound of copper in green vegetables 

 which are eaten by the ounce and a highly soluble salt of lead in water, or of arsenic 

 in beer, both liquids drunk by the quart or gallon. It must be remembered also in 

 this connection that in France an order was issued prohibiting the use of copper for 

 the above purpose and that this order had subsequently to be rescinded. It also 

 appears that in Germany, where the use of copper for artificial greening of vegetables, 

 etc., is prohibited, preserved vegetables containing copper are easily obtainable 

 on the open market, apparently showing th#t the actual enforcement of the prohibi- 

 tion is attended with difficulty. 



Recent research has distinctly taught us that, from the point of view of its nutritive 

 value, great importance attaches to the appetizing appearance of food, and in my 

 opinion we should not without very definite reason arbitrarily prevent the grati- 

 fication of the public taste for a perennial supply of green vegetables and thereby 

 destroy if not an important at least a thriving industry. 



I am, however, satisfied that often an unnecessarily large amount of copper is present 

 in vegetables permanently colored by means of it, and although in spite of diligent 

 inquiry no injurious results have been known to have accrued even from these quan- 

 tities, yet nevertheless only the necessary amount should be added. I should, 

 therefore, recommend that the presence of copper in these preserved vegetables be 

 in every case declared and that its amount be restricted to half a grain of metallic 

 copper per pound. 



Paragraph 127 referred to by Mr. Tunnicliffe is as follows: 



127. The employment of copper sulphate to color peas and other vegetables has 

 been carefully considered by us. It is highly undesirable that what is admittedly 

 a poisonous drug should be used, even to the smallest extent, in connection with 

 such food as may be consumed in considerable quantity. The public have got into 

 their heads that vegetables ought to be green, and green they insist upon having 

 them. Direct proof that vegetables containing copper are injurious to the consumer 

 is from the very nature of the case difficult to obtain, and we must admit that we have 

 not succeeded in obtaining it. There is evidence pointing to the conclusion that 

 the copper, when added to the vegetables, forms a compound which is not easily 

 soluble in the human economy. There is, however, evidence of a contrary char- 

 acter, and it is not clear to us that the whole of the copper added becomes, or remains, 

 insoluble under all conditions. Be this as it may, recent events have so incontestably 

 demonstrated the serious and widespread mischief which may result from the con- 

 sumption of food and drink, other than sweetmeats, containing even minimal quan- 

 tities of poisonous metallic substances, that we are strongly of opinion that such 

 poisonous substances should be rigorously excluded. 



It might be pointed out that the recommendations of this committee 

 are not at one with the views which have found expression in the 

 administration of the food law of the United States. Salicylic acid 

 is looked upon as being of a nature requiring absolute prohibition in 

 foodstuffs; the same is true of boric acid and borax; and the ques- 

 tion as to the propriety of the use of copper salts in the greening of 

 vegetables is at the present time in the hands of the referee board 

 of consulting scientific experts, who are expected to report to the 

 96706 Bull. 14311 3 



