INTRODUCTION. 



Food products exported from the United States to foreign countries 

 are sold in accordance with-the local regulations of the several coun- 

 tries into which they are imported. In order that our food products 

 may successfully meet the requirements of foreign legislation, it is 

 important that they be inspected before shipment and a certificate of 

 their composition be furnished for the use of the officials of foreign 

 countries. 



The Secretary of Agriculture is empowered by the Congress of the 

 United States to conduct an inspection of this kind in an enactment 

 which authorizes 



the Secretary of Agriculture to investigate the character of the chemical and phys- 

 ical tests which are applied to American food products in foreign countries, and to 

 inspect before shipment, when desired by the shippers or owners of these food prod- 

 ucts, American food products intended for countries where chemical and physical 

 tests are required before said food products are allowed to be sold in the countries 

 mentioned. 



In harmony with the first part of this authority, this bulletin has been 

 prepared especially for the benefit of our exporters of foods, in order 

 that they may know the exact conditions in which their foods must be 

 to comply with the legal restrictions of foreign countries. 



This bulletin does not assume to give the full text of all the pure- 

 food laws of foreign countries, nor does it enter into the decisions of 

 the courts, in the several countries mentioned, relating to the execu- 

 tion of these laws. It simply gives a brief summary of the points 

 which are most important and with which our exporters of foods should 

 be thoroughly acquainted. If the foods which are sent abroad are in 

 condition to meet the requirements contained in this bulletin, it is not 

 probable that they will be subjected to any hurtful restraint. 



Furthermore, when the inspection of such exported foods has been 

 thoroughly established the exporter will be furnished with an official 

 certificate which can be presented to the officers of foreign countries 

 charged with the enforcement of pure-food laws. Our food products 

 on reaching foreign countries should thereby be protected from erro- 

 neous or incomplete analysis or unjust discrimination, either from the 

 analytical or legal point of view. 



