50 COAL-TAR COLORS USED IN FOOD PRODUCTS. 



18. You have been told that the food commission of the State of Pennsylvania is 

 going to rule that seven colors shall be allowed in the State of Pennsylvania. That 

 is not enough, because it is not possible to reproduce all of the required shades with 

 those colors unless you take the seven primary colors, when you can reproduce any 

 colors. But it is absolutely necessary to have about three yellows to meet the require- 

 ments of the trade. Some of the articles that are put out have an organic acid nature, 

 and the anilines will stand that. * * * On that account the character of the 

 food product must be taken into account in the use of the color, and the confectioners 

 have about 30 colors that I know positively of * * * (p. 160). 



19. We recommend that * * * chrysoidine, tropaeoline, azoflavine, rocelline, 

 ponceau, Bordeaux, Biebrich red, sulphonated fuchsin, naphthol yellow S be 

 allowed * * * (p. 226). 



MANUFACTURING REQUIREMENTS WHICH COAL-TAR COLORS MUST FULFIL. 



20. Coal-tar colors, as everybody knows, are much stronger and are more soluble 

 and are not acted on by acids. * * * Almost all the vegetable colors either fade 

 out or change on account of the citric acid in the syrup or food, or form in a little || 

 while a precipitation which renders the goods unsalable (p. 119). 



21. There are many of these colors (coal-tar colors) that will not stand the natural 

 acids produced in manufacturing foods. For instance, in making confectionery, in 

 boiling candy you make a certain grade of candy where the mixture is boiled to 

 230. A certain color will stand that temperature. Then you take another candy 

 and that is boiled to 320 or 340 F., and the colors that will stand 230 will in many 

 cases not stand the temperature of 340, while another class of colors will stand that 

 temperature. So you have got to distinguish and get a color that will stand these 

 difficult requirements (pp. 159, 160). 



GUARANTEES AND GOVERNMENT CONTROL. 



22. Only such colors as are guaranteed to be harmless by reliable manufacturers 

 should be used in the manufacture of confectionery (p. 555). 



23. We recommend * * * that the Government procure samples of such colors 

 from time to time, wherever they have jurisdiction so to do, and if such colors be not 

 legal for such purposes under the food law, that the same be prosecuted and driven 

 off the market in so far as the Government has the power to do so; and if no means 

 can be devised to compel such labeling of colors intended for food purposes, then 

 that the Government procure such evidence as possible as to the purpose for which 

 a color is intended to be used, and if such evidence shows a food purpose, that such 

 color be prosecuted if illegal under the food law (pp. 555, 555 a). 



24. See page 13. 



25. The chemical test is the first, and that might throw out a color on account of 

 its containing a little tin or zinc, or some substance foreign to the food product. 

 Whether that is deleterious in the quantity in which it is present or not is immaterial 

 (p. 160). 



26. In a brief filed the following suggestions were made: 



It must be stated that all the chemist can determine is whether or not the colors 

 contain some impurities that are known to be of poisonous nature. Aniline colors are 

 or can be made entirely free of such impurities, and with this fact established the task 

 with the chemist is exhausted. When it comes to decide the question whether or not 

 a color by itself, when free of all impurities, is injurious to health or not, then the 

 chemist is not the proper authority; it is for the physiologist and for the medical pro- 

 fession to pass on such questions. Chemical theories go for nothing in deciding such 

 questions. It would not even do to classify colors or other substances according to 

 their makeup, as it has been shown again and again that substances belonging to the 

 chemical class are entirely different in regard to the physiological conduct. 



