dered hellebore, powdered tobacco, and the powdered flowers of certain species of chrysanthemum. At first thought it would seem that the term "insect powder" might properly be applied to all of these as well as to any other powder which possesses insecticidal properties. A study of the subject, however, has convinced the board that such a broad and indefinite application of the term is not justifiable because common usage and trade practice have resulted in a limitation of the term so that, standing alone, it now signifies one definite thing, namely, the powdered flowered heads of certain species of chrysanthemum. The reasons which have led us to this conclusion are briefly as follows: The popular and scientific works of reference are in substantial agreement in declaring that "insect powder" commonly signifies the powdered flower heads of certain species of chrysanthemum. Inquiries made by the board have developed the fact that among manufacturers and dealers generally the term "insect powder" is held to signify the powdered flowers of certain species of chrysanthemum (pyrethrum). Furthermore, the board has evidence from expert scientists supporting this position completely. The board holds that the term "insect powder" is used in both a generic and a specific sense, the former applying in cases where no attempt is made to designate a particular article. A similar condition exists in the use of the word "flour." There may be rye flour and rice flour, but the word "flour," standing alone and used to designate a specific article, means "wheat flour." Similarly, there may be hellebore insect powder and tobacco insect powder, but the term "insect powder" used without qualification signifies a definite article, as follows: The term "insect powder," when used without qualification, means an insecticide made from the powdered flower heads of the following species of chrysanthemum: 1. Chrysanthemum (pyrethrum) cinerarieaefolium (Trev.) Bocc. 2. Chrysanthemum (pyrethrum) roseum Web. & Mohr. Chrysanthemum marshallii Aschers. (Synonym: Pyrethrum carneum M. В.) 3. It naturally follows, from this interpretation, that the term "insect powder," unqualified, can not properly be applied to an article which consists in whole or in part of insect flower stems. The use of powdered stems under such conditions would constitute an adulteration under the law. (Sec. 7: "That for the purpose of this Act an article shall be deemed to be adulterated *. In the case of insecticides or fungicides, other than Paris green and lead arsenate: First, if its strength or purity fall below the professed standard or quality under which it is sold; second, if any substance has been substituted wholly or in part for the article.") In designating a mixture of powdered flowers and stems the term "insect powder" may be used, provided this is immediately qualified by word or phrase so as to indicate clearly the nature of the article. The qualifying word or phrase should appear in type sufficiently clear and in position sufficiently prominent to attract the immediate attention of the purchaser. In a case of this kind, where the constituent substances are named, the predominating substance should be named first in order. The principles laid down above governing the use of the term "insect powder," when applied to substances consisting in whole or in part of powdered stems, are to be applied in like manner to all powdered substances intended to be used as insecticides. The department has been requested to decide whether powdered insect flower stems will be regarded as "inert ingredients" under the terms of the Insecticide Act. Investigations to determine the precise value of these powdered stems are now under way. From the information at hand at the present time it appears that powdered stems have a certain insecticidal value though distinctly less than the powdered flower heads. In view of this fact the declaration of powdered stems as inert ingredients will not be required unless further investigation shows this position to be erroneous, in which event suitable notice will be given to the trade. The terms "Pyrethrum" and "Pyrethrum powder" are, when applied to insecticides, synonymous with "Insect powder." M. DORSET, M. B. WAITE, A. L. QUAINTANCE, Insecticide and Fungicide Board. Approved: JAMES WILSON, Secretary of Agriculture. WASHINGTON, D. C., July 15, 1911. APPENDIX 0. STANDARDS OF PURITY FOR FOOD PRODUCTS. [Note. This is the official pamphlet of the Department of Agriculture.] Circular No. 19, Superseding Circulars Nos. 13 and 17. SUPPLEMENTAL PROCLAMATION. Referring to Circular No. 13 of this office, dated December 20, 1904, and to Circular No. 17 of this office, dated March 8, 1906, the following food standards are hereby established as superseding and supplemental to those proclaimed on the dates above named. JAMES WILSON, WASHINGTON, D. C., June 26, 1906. LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. The Honorable the Secretary of Agriculture. Sir: The undersigned, representing the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists of the United States and the Interstate Food Commission, and commissioned by you, under authority given by the Act of Congress approved March 3, 1903, to collaborate with you "to establish standards of purity for food products and to determine what are regarded as adulterations therein," respectfully report that they have carefully reviewed, in the light of recent investigations and correspondence, the standards earlier recommended by them, and have prepared a set of amended schedules, in which certain changes have been introduced for the purpose of securing increased accuracy of expression and a more perfect correspondence of the chemical limits to the normal materials designated, and from which standards previously proclaimed for several manufactured articles have been omitted because of the unsatisfactory condition of trade nomenclature as applied thereto; and also additional schedules of standards for ice creams, vegetables and vegetable products, tea and coffee. They respectfully recommend that the standards herewith submitted be approved and proclaimed as the established standards, superseding and supplementing those established on December 20, 1904, and March 8, 1906. The principles that have guided us in the formulation of these standards are appended hereto. The several schedules of additional standards recommended have been submitted in a tentative form, to the manufacturing firms and the trade immediately interested, and also to the State food-control officials for criticism. Respectfully, WILLIAM FREAR, EDWARD H. JENKINS, M. A. SCOVELL, H. A. WEBER, H. W. WILEY, Committee on Food Standards, Association of Official Agricultural Chemists. RICHARD FISCHER, Representing the Interstate Food Commission. WASHINGTON, D. C., June 26, 1906. PRINCIPLES ON WHICH THE STANDARDS ARE BASED. The general considerations which have guided the committee in preparing the standards for food products are the following: 1. The standards are expressed in the form of definitions, with or without accompanying specifications of limit in composition. 2. The main classes of food articles are defined before the subordinate classes are considered. 3. The definitions are so framed as to exclude from the articles defined substances not included in the definitions. 4. The definitions include, where possible, those qualities which make the articles described wholesome for human food. 5. A term defined in any of the several schedules has the same meaning wherever else it is used in this report. 6. The names of food products herein defined usually agree with existing American trade or manufacturing usage; but where such usage is not clearly established or where trade names confuse two or more articles for which specific designations are desirable, preference is given to one of the several trade names applied. 7. Standards are based upon data representing materials produced under American conditions and manufactured by American processes or representing such varieties of foreign articles as are chiefly imported for American use. 8. The standards fixed are such that a departure of the articles to which they apply, above the maximum or below the minimum limit prescribed, is evidence that such articles are of inferior or abnormal quality. 9. The limits fixed as standard are not necessarily the extremes authentically recorded for the article in question, because such extremes are commonly due to abnormal conditions of production, and are usually accompanied by marks of inferiority or abnormality readily perceived by the producer or manufacturer. FOOD STANDARDS. I. ANIMAL PRODUCTS. A. MEATS AND THE PRINCIPAL MEAT PRODUCTS. a. Meats. 1. Meat, flesh, is any clean, sound, dressed and properly prepared edible part of animals in good health at the time of slaughter, and if it bears a name descriptive of its kind, composition or origin, it corresponds thereto. The term "animals," as herein used, includes not only mammals, but fish, fowl, crustaceans, mollusks and all other animals used as food. 2. Fresh meat is meat from animals recently slaughtered and properly cooled until delivered to the consumer. 3. Cold storage meat is meat from animals recently slaughtered and preserved by refrigeration until delivered to the consumer.1 4. Salted, pickled and smoked meats are unmixed meats preserved by salt, sugar, vinegar, spices or smoke, singly or in combination, whether in bulk or in suitable containers.2 b. Manufactured Meats. 1. Manufactured meats are meats not included in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4, whether simple or mixed, whole or comminuted, in bulk or in suitable containers,2 with or without the addition of salt, sugar, vinegar, 1 The establishment of proper periods of time for cold storage is reserved for future consideration when the investigations on this subject, authorized by Congress, are completed. 2 Suitable containers for keeping moist food products, such as sirups, honey, condensed milk, soups, meat extracts, meats, manufactured meats, and undried fruits and vegetables, and wrappers in contact with food products, contain on their surfaces, in contact with the food product, no lead, antimony, arsenic, zinc or copper or any compounds thereof or any other poisonous or injurious substance. If the containers are made of tin plate they are outside-soldered, and the plate in no place contains less than one hundred and thirteen (113) milligrams of tin on a piece five (5) centimeters square or one and enghttenths (1.8) grains on a piece two (2) inches square. The inner coating of the containers is free from pin-holes, blisters and cracks. If the tin plate is lacquered, the lacquer completely covers the tinned surface within the container and yields to the contents of the container no lead, antimony, arsenic, zine or copper or any compounds thereof, or any other poisonous or injurious substance. |