4 BULLETIN 569, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



We are getting from the farmer a high-grade tomato, one that is perfectly 

 sound and ripe. We are trimming our tomatoes very carefully and washing 

 them in three different waters. 



Reports from our chemist * * * showed our earlier run to be : 



Mold. 



Yeast and spores. 



Bacteria. 



In 7 per cent of fields. . . 

 In 9 per cent of fields. . . 



6 in 1/60 cmm 



7 in 1/60 cmm 



10,500,000 per cc. 

 9,500,000 per cc. 



Since then it has been gradually increasing until our last report shows the 

 following : 



52 per cent of fields 



44 per cent of fields 



28 in 1/60 cmm 



28 in 1/60 cmm 



21,000,000 per cc. 

 24,000,000 per cc. 



It is absolutely impossible for any human being and under any conditions to 

 take tomatoes and manufacture a ketchup any more cleanly, any freer from 

 mold or bacteria than the ketchup we are producing. There isn't a ketchup 

 factory in the United States more cleanly or sanitary than ours. We are 

 satisfied that this mold, yeast and spores, and bacteria is in the tomato in its 

 healthy condition, that is, in perfectly sound tomatoes. 



We know no one would condemn these tomatoes as being unfit for food. 

 We are endeavoring to comply with the food law standard that has been estab- 

 lished on tomato ketchup, but we can not go out of business simply because 

 these standards have been made without due knowledge of the real chemical 

 analysis of a perfectly sound, fresh tomato under all conditions, and when the 

 raw product brought from the farmers is delivered to our plant and handled 

 in a perfectly sound, clean, wholesome condition, we can not understand why 

 our goods, which are strictly high-grade and pure, should be condemned by the 

 Department of Agriculture under conditions of this kind. 



We will very much appreciate if you will wire us just what to do. Also 

 that you would have one of your representatives at our plant as quickly as 

 he can get here, as we feel that we are entitled to the services of one of your 

 personal representatives, as we know that our goods are right. 



We know that they can not be manufactured under any more cleanly con- 

 ditions than we are carrying out. We are therefore willing and entitled to 

 make a stand on this, believing that the Agriculture Department will recog- 

 nize the condition and protect us against any results that might come from 

 our goods being picked up by food inspectors among our customers after they 

 have left our warehouse. 



Thanking you, and trusting that you will give this your immediate attention, 

 we are, 



Yours very truly. 



The appeal in the letter enlisted the interest of the bureau and 

 produced a desire for a careful investigation of the conditions com- 

 plained of. Accordingly, the senior writer made a visit to the plant. 

 It was the only factory in a small country town of about 100 inhabi- 

 tants. Most of the employees, both men and women, came from the 

 surrounding rural district. A stay of several days was made at 

 the plant and various tests were conducted. 



