official inspections 65. 175 



Tapioca. 



Complaint was made to the Station relative to tapioca that it 

 was colored blue. This led to the purchase of several samples 

 of tapioca as sold in the State, Six samples of "Minute 

 Tapioca," prepared by the Minute Tapioca Co., Orange, Massa- 

 chusetts, were collected. One of these was colored blue very 

 decidedly, the color being readily seen with the unassisted eye. 

 It also had high ash content. It was impracticable to obtain 

 interstate papers so this case was not reported to the Federal 

 authorities for prosecution. The Maine dealer was, of course, 

 innocent in the matter. One other sample of Minute Tapioca 

 contained a trace of blue color only visible under the micro- 

 scope. The ash content was about normal. The other four 

 samples of Minute Tapioca were uncolored. 



"Slade's Quick Cooking Tapioca" and "'Slade's Pearl Tapi- 

 oca," made by the D. & L. Slade Company, Boston ; and "Pearl 

 Tapioca," made by the Stickney & Poor Spice Co., Boston, Mass., 

 were all found to be free from coloring matter. 



Tea. 



A sample of tea was obtained from Scott & Co., Corner of 

 Main and Sea Streets, Rockland, on the complaint of a pur--, 

 chaser. It was an Oolong tea, sold at 60 cents a pound. The 

 sample was No. 13014. The pound package weighed 16.2 

 ounces net. The odor was poor. Tea made in the usual way 

 was weak and poor. Microscopic examination showed no for- 

 eign leaves, some sticks and stems were present. It was a very 

 poor quality of tea, composed of the large bottom leaves of the 

 tea plant. 



Sweet Oil (Olive Oil). 



A few samples of olive oil were tested. Three samples sent 

 in by dealers were found to be straight olive oil. A sample No. 

 12323, purchased as olive oil from C. Delooke, 41 India St., 

 Portland, Me., was found to be cottonseed oil. The same was 

 true of a sample of sweet oil, No. 13385, purchased from Abra- 

 ham Rappaport, 152 Newbury St., Portland. The last two 

 were adulterated and misbranded and it was recommended that 

 hearings be appointed and the cases investigated. 



