20 maine) agricultural, experiment station. 1908. 



Molasses. 

 In July, August and September 1907, samples of different 

 brands of molasses on sale in Maine were collected quite gen- 

 erally over the State. While, as was to be expected, some 

 molasses in the hands of retailers were not being sold in con- 

 formity with the Maine Food and Drug Law, correspondence 

 developed that for the most part they were apparently inno- 

 cent of any intention of wrong and expressed themselves as 

 ready to conform to the requirements of the law. In all cases 

 the goods were correctly branded or withdrawn from sale. 

 No prosecutions were made. 



MOLASSES DEFINITIONS AND STANDARDS. 



Massecuite, melada, mush sugar, and concrete are products 

 made by evaporating the purified juice of a sugar-producing 

 plant, or a solution of sugar, to a solid or semisolid consistence, 

 and in which the sugar chiefly exists in a crystalline state. 



Molasses is the product left after separating the sugar from 

 massecuite, melada, mush sugar, or concrete, and contains not 

 more than twenty-five (25) per cent of water and nOt more 

 than five (5) per cent of ash. 



Sugar-cane sirup is sirup made by the evaporation of the juice 

 of the sugar-cane or by the solution of sugar-cane concrete, and 

 contains not more than thirty (30) per cent of water and not 

 more than two and five-tenths (2.5) per cent of ash. 



Examination of the analytical data show that many samples 

 of molasses which carry no glucose are below the standards 

 in solids. It will also be noted that several samples of the 

 molasses are low in ash, corresponding much more nearly to 

 sugar cane sirup than to molasses. The standards for molasses 

 were adopted from those of the U. S. Secretary of Agriculture 

 for regulating interstate trade and imports. Instances came 

 to notice in which the custom house authorities presumably act- 

 ing under these instructions have admitted as molasses and in 

 conformity with the pure food law, goods that are below the 

 standards in solids. They have also passed under the name 

 of molasses goods which have consisted practically of cane 

 sirup. This has led to confusion and misunderstanding and 

 until this matter is straightened out, there will be no prosecu- 



