86 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I9IO. 



cause they consist "in whole or in part of a filthy, decomposed, 

 or putrid animal or vegetable substance." 



It is unlawful to ship or to sell oysters or other shellfish 

 which have become polluted because of packing under insani- 

 tary conditions or being placed in unclean receptacles. In order 

 to prevent pollution during the packing or shipment of oysters, 

 it is necessary to give proper attention to the sanitary condition 

 of the establishment in which they are packed and to use only 

 receptacles which have been thoroughly cleansed as soon as 

 emptied. In order to prevent the possibility of contamination, 

 it is desirable that such containers be sterilized before using. 



It is unlawful to ship or to sell oysters or other shellfish 

 which have been subjected to "floating" or "drinking" in brack- 

 ish water, or water containing less salt than that in which oysters 

 will grow to maturity. Such food is adulterated under Section 

 3 of the law because a substance "has been mixed and packed 

 with it so as to reduce or lower or injuriously affect its quality 

 or strength." There can be no objection to "drinking" shell- 

 fish in unpolluted water of the salt content in which oysters will 

 grow to maturity. Attention is called, however, to the dangers 

 resulting from "drinking" shellfish near polluted fresh water 

 streams and near other sources of pollution. 



It is unlawful to ship or to sell shucked oysters to which 

 water has been added, either directly or in the form of melted 

 ice. Such food is adulterated under Section 3 of the act because 

 a "substance has been mixed and packed with it so as to reduce 

 or lower or injuriously affect its quality or strength," and also 

 because a "substance has been substituted wholly or in part for 

 the article." 



The packing of shellfish with ice in contact may lead to the 

 absorption by the oyster of a portion of the water formed by 

 the melting ice, thus leading to the adulteration of the oysters 

 with water. 



STANDARD FOR OYSTERS. 



The following is the standard adopted for opened oysters in 

 Maine : 



Opened oysters sold in bulk shall not contain ice or added 

 water; nor more than 17 per cent by weight of free liquid; nor 

 less than 10 per cent by weight of total dry solids. 



