46 MAIN^ AGRICUI.TURAI, i^XPE^RIME^NT STATION. I9IO. 



PORK SAUSAGE. 



According to the standards adopted and fixed regulating the 

 sale of food materials in Maine, sausage is defined as follows : — 

 ''Sausage, sausage meat is a comminuted meat from neat cat- 

 tle or swine, or a mixture of such meats, either fresh, salted, 

 pickled or smoked, with added salt and spices, and with or 

 without the addition of edible animal fats, blood and sugar, or 

 subsequent smoking. It contains no larger amount of water 

 than the meats from which it is prepared contain when in their 

 fresh condition, and if it bears a name descriptive of the kind, 

 composition, or origin, it corresponds to such descriptive name. 

 All animal tissues used as containers, such as casings, stom- 

 achs, etc., are clean and sound and impart to the contents no 

 other substance than salt." 



From this definition it follows that pork sausage must be 

 composed of minced, fresh pork to which salt, spices, and noth- 

 ing else has been added. It should contain no larger amount 

 of water than the meat from which it is made. 



Pork sausage plainly branded so as to show to the non-pro- 

 fessional person a different standard of strength, quality and 

 purity than the above definition would not be regarded as 

 adulterated or misbranded, if it should be found to conform 

 to its declared standard. Pork sausage true to name can be 

 lawfully sold without labels of any kind. Pork sausage to 

 which cereal, water, or anything else other than those materials 

 mentioned in the definition, has been added needs to be labeled 

 to show exactly what it is. 



The table on pages 48 and 49 shows the results of the 

 examination of materials which were bought for pork sausage 

 by the deputy. When these goods were purchased the deputy 

 did not make himself known but went to the store the same as 

 any other customer would and asked for a pound of pork sau- 

 sage. He took the materials as they were offered to him, noted 

 explanations, if any, that the clerk made, made full records 

 and copies of all labels, and passed the goods to the analysts 

 for examination. 



It will be noted that quite a large amount of the goods was 

 adulterated either with water or cereal or both. In only one 

 instance was the sausage thus adulterated properly labeled. 

 On all of the violations hearings were appointed and the cases 



