284 FIFTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



water, or water containing less salt than that in which they are grown. Such 

 food is adulterated under section 7 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 ' shellfish in 

 unpolluted water of the same salt content as that from which they have 

 been removed. 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 in interstate commerce shucked oysters 

 to which water has been added, either directly or in the form of melted ice. 

 Such food is adulterated under section 7 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 lead- 

 ing to the adulteration of the oysters with water. 



" Only unpolluted cold or iced water should be employed in washing 

 shucked shellfish, and the washing, including chilling, should not continue 

 longer than the minimum time necessary for cleaning and chilling. 



" In view of the fact that the shipping season has begun and shippers 



will. require several months to provide themselves with suitable containers 



for the shipment of shellfish out of contact with ice, no prosecutions will 



be recommended prior to May 1, 19 10, for the shipment or sale in interstate 



commerce of oysters or other shellfish because of the addition of water 



caused solely by shipment in contact with ice. 



"H. W. Wiley, 



"F. L. Dunlap, 



"Geo. P. McCabe, 



''Board of Food and Drug Inspection. 

 "Approved: ' & r 



"W. M. Hays, Acting Secretary of Agriculture. 



"Washington, D. C, October 14, 1909." 



As a result of the discussions upon the subject and of the new require- 

 ments of the trade and of State and National officials, many new styles of 



