United States Bureau of Chemistry con emns the use of salicylic acid and salicylates in foods as tending to reduce the weight and produce discomfort. Besides, they are wholly unnecessary in the foods in which they are used recent years formalde hyde has been introduced as a preservative in consequence of its powerful antiseptic action. A proprietary preservative known as “CarnolinD consists of a 1.5 per cent solution of formalde hyde slightly acidified. In very small amounts it exerts a decided antiseptic action on milk. The effect of formaldehyde upon the system, when employed in the small proportions re quired for food preservation, has not yet been well determined, but its power of forming insoluble compounds with proteid substances, and its hardening power upon animal tissues, would seem to render meat treated with it much less digestible than otherwise. Mahery and Goldsmith found that formaldehyde in the proportion of 0.2 gram per cent limited the artificial peptic digestion of blood fibrin. Lud wig states that formalin is not applicable to the preservation of meat products. thrich tried the effect of an 8 per cent solution of for maldehyde on various food substances. He found that horseflesh was completely preserved by it, but that the odor developed was such that the meat could not be eaten. Beef thus treated did not develop this odor, but was fit to be eaten a short time after addition of the preservative, on account of the chemical changes which it produced. According to Bloxam formaldehyde causes fish to become so hard as to be unsalable even if' the solution con tains only one part in 5,000. The United States Bureau of Chemistry found that formaldehyde retards the nitrogen and sulphur metabolisms and accelerates the phosphorus metabolism of the human body, and concludes that its pres enee in foods is deleterious especially to in fants and invalids.
British Investigation Relative 'to the Use of A committee•was appointed in 1899 to report to Parliament upon the of preservatives and coloring matters in the object of the investigation being to ascertain: 1. Whether the use of such materials, or any of them, for the preservation and coloring of food, in certain quantities, is injurious to health, and if so, in what proportions does their use become injurious? 2. To what extent and in what amounts are they used at the present time? This committee held many hearings and ex amined 78 witnesses, among whom were the principal experts in England, physicians, health officers, chemists, grocers, dairymen and repre sentatives of different food interests.
The committee reported that the preserva tives found in use other than alcohol, oils, vine gar, salt and sugar, were boric acid and other boron preservatives, sulphurous acid, and sul phites, fluorides, salicylic acid, benzoic acid and formalin or formaldehyde. A list of 4,251 articles of food examined at the government laboratory for preservatives was presented, of which 1,659, or 39 per cent, were found to con tain preservatives. These consisted of 35 dif ferent kinds of food and beverages. Of the articles examined the following named samples were found to contain preservatives, the percentages indicating the proportions to the number of samples respectively: Lime and lemon juice, 88.5 per cent; ham, 82.7 per cent; cream, 77.9 per cent; margarine, 77.4; pork-pies, 70.8; cordials, 70.8; bacon, 70.5; sausages, 66.4; fruit syrup, 65.2; butter, 57.1.
Of the 1,659 samples treated with preserva tives, 1,249 contained boron compounds, 320 salicylic acid, 20 formalin and 143 sulphites.
The committee were of the opinion that pre servatives should not be used in milk, since the milk producer might be liable by such use to protect himself against the immediate results of scrupulous cleanliness. Under the influence of preservatives milk may be exposed without sensible injury to conditions which would otherwise render it unsalable. It may remain sweet to the taste and smell, and yet may con tain disease germs of various kinds, whereof the activity may be suspended for a time by the action of the preservative, but may be re sumed before the milk is digested.
The following were the general conclusions of the committee, so far as preservatives are concerned: a. That the use of formaldehyde or for malin or preparations thereof, in food and drink, be absolutely prohibited, and that salicylic acid be not used in a greater proportion than one grain per pint of liquid food, and one grain per pound of solid food; its presence in all cases to be declared.
b. That the use of any preservative or color ing matter whatever in milk offered for sale in the United Kingdom be constituted an of fense under the food and drug acts.
c. That the only preservative which it shall be lawful to use in cream be boric acid or mix tures of boric acid and borax, and in amount not exceeding 0.25 per cent expressed as boric acid, the amount of such preservative to be notified by a label upon the vessel.
d.•That the only preservative permitted to be used in butter and margarine be boric acid, or mixtures of boric acid and borax, to be used in proportions not exceeding 0.5 per cent ex pressed as boric acid.
e. That in the case of all dietetic prepara tions, intended for the use of invalids or in fants, chemical preservatives of all kinds be prohibited.
The following statement appears in the 33d annual report of the State Board of Health of Massachusetts (1901). Out of 7,323 samples of milk examined with special reference to the presence of preservatives, 184, or 2.5 per cent, contained formaldehyde; 42, or .6 per cent, con tained boric acid, and 7 contained carbonates. These samples were all obtained in the summer months.
Legislation Relative to the Use or Preserva tives.—At present Austria has no law upon this subject. In Belgium the use of preservatives in milk is forbidden; in Denmark the use of all preservatives except salt in butter and mar garine. In France the sale of food containing either salicylic acid or formalin is prohibited. In Germany, spoiled goods sold in a state con cealing their real condition make the vendor liable to a penalty. The addition of alum, boric acid and salicylic acid to wine is also for bidden. The following conclusions have been reached by the Imperial Health Board of Ger many regarding the use of sulphurous acid in mince meat: (1) That mince meat can be made, if 'kept at a low temperature, to retain its natural color without preservatives for more than 12 hours; (2) that the addition of preservatives can im prove the natural color of meat, but not the meat itself ; (3) that the consumption of mince meat treated with acid salts may he in jurious, especially to people of delicate health.
The Imperial Health Board has also con ducted experiments that have shown danger in the use of boric acid and its compounds.
7. Preservation by Preserving, Pickling, etc.— In making preserves, jams, jellies and fruit juices, the sugar, vinegar, brandy and spices are the preservatives. In the case of preserves, jams and jellies, the fruits and their juices are sterilized by boiling, and a quantity of sugar large enough to render it impossible that fermentative bacteria can thrive in the product is added. This is generally in the pro portion of a pound of sugar to the pound of fruit, though considerably less will suffice with most fruits. The only other attacks to be guarded against are those of mold, whose spores float freely in the air. Protection from the air is, therefore, secured by tying a waxed paper cover over the containing jar or bowl, or, better, by pouring a layer of melted paraffine wax directly on the jelly or jam. Bottles of fruit juice are corked, and the corks dipped into melted beeswax. In brandied fruits, enough liquor is added after the boiled or scalded fruit has cooled to assure a content of from 15 to 20 per cent of alcohol, which is an effective preservative.
In pickles, the preservation is accomplished by scalding to sterilize, and then adding so much vinegar as to form a liquid in which the fermentative bacteria cannot exist. The spices added to the vinegar aid in tive effect, and so also does the sugar added to sweet pickles. See ADULTERATION ; FOOD.