30 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, I913. 



The Requirements oe the Law, 

 In Section 119 of the Public Laws of 1911 will be found 

 the following paragraph: "For the purpose of this act an 

 article shall be deemed to be adulterated, in case of food, 

 if in the manufacture, sale, distribution or transportation, or 

 in the offering or exposing for sale, distribution or transporta- 

 tion, it is not at all times securely protected from filth, flies, 

 dust or other contamination, or other unclean, unhealthful or 

 unsanitary conditions." Rulings under this paragraph have 

 brought about a change in the display of foods during the past 

 eighteen months which is very gratifying to observe. It is, of 

 course, true that violations may still be observed, but a won- 

 derful change has occurred. Foods of various kinds includ- 

 ing meat, fruit, berries, cooked foods, confectionery, shelled 

 nuts and others are now being protected in a large proportion 

 of the stores of the State as never before. Foods of various 

 kinds which were formerly displayed upon the sidewalks ex- 

 posed to all kinds of contamination have been taken within the 

 store and placed in show cases and under glass coverings. 

 This change has been accomplished by patient, persistent effort 

 on the part of the executive, with little trouble. Great credit 

 is due a large number of the dealers of the State who have 

 manifested their appreciation of the necessity of better protec- 

 tion of their public and who have expended in the aggregate 

 thousands of dollars for new show cases and covers. 



Naturae Protective Coverings oe Foods. 

 In the consideration of the various kinds of food in con- 

 nection with the paragraph quoted from the law it is noticeable 

 that they fall naturally into three distinct classes which, of 

 course, merge into each other at various points. On the one 

 hand there is that class which includes potatoes, turnips, beets 

 and other vegetables which are always thoroughly washed and 

 cooked before they are eaten. Also in this same class we find 

 certain fruits like bananas and oranges naturally protected 

 by an inedible covering which must be removed before the 

 fruit is eaten. The natural protection of this class of food is 

 apparently sufficient, and such foods may under the law be 

 exposed for sale without further covering. Another class of 



