•VOLUME VARIATION OF BOTTLED FOODS. 19 



height of fill to meet the variations equivalent to the calculated maxi- 

 mum variations. The calculated maximum variations average about 

 the same as the space in the bottle from the aim to the top, in the 

 case of cylindrical-neck bottles and 0.8 in the conical-neck bottles 

 (Table 8). Accordingly there is sufficient room in the bottles to 

 permit changes from the usual height of fill to the limits of the cal- 

 culated maximum variations. 



The unit of change in declaration is of concern to the bottler when 

 he receives bottles short of the capacity which he expects. It is the 

 custom to declare the quantity of contents on bottled foods in whole 

 units. In a survey of the bottling of flavoring extracts and similar 

 products it was found that the prevalent sizes of bottles were 1, 2, 4, 

 •8, and 12 ounces, 1 pint, 1 quart, -J gallon, and 1 gallon. In bottles 

 containing less than 2 ounces some of the declarations varied by 

 ^-ounce units; in sizes from 2 to 8 ounces, some of the declarations 

 varied by ^-ounce units ; and in sizes above 8 ounces, some varied by 

 ^-ounce units. The calculated maximum variations for 2 ounce, 8 

 ounce, and 1 pint capacities are 0.19, 0.29, and 0.39 ounce, respec- 

 tively, which are approximately equivalent to the usual units of dec- 

 laration for these sizes of bottles. The bottler would therefore meet 

 the variations equivalent to the calculated maximum variations if 

 he made the usual changes in his units of declaration. It follows that 

 the bottler's usual temporary methods of meeting the proper declared 

 volume can be governed by the calculated maximum variations as 

 found in this bulletin. 



PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF RESULTS. 



The bottler will be able to apply the results of this investigation 

 as outlined in Table 9 to guide him in making tests on bottles re- 

 ceived. If the capacities of the bottles at his usual filling point vary 

 from the capacity ordered by amounts greater than the results given 

 in Table 9, he will necessarily feel that some further steps should 

 be taken to meet properly the requirements of the law that the 

 volume of food declared on the labels be correct. The bottle manu- 

 facturer will be able to use the results in Table 9 to guide him in 

 determining whether or not any shortage found in the volume of 

 bottled food may be due to unavoidable difficulties in the manu- 

 facturing or filling of the bottles. 



SUMMARY. 



Good commercial practice in bottling foods has been considered 

 in this bulletin to be the attainment of conditions in the bottler's 

 state of business in which he (a) includes in his orders for bottles 

 the specifications as to capacity when filled to a specified height, 



