and the Seventeenth on Drug Products

E. M. BAILEY

An amendment to the food and drug law of this State made about ten years ago brings medicaments dispensed by physicians within the scope of drug control. Such medicaments are very largely in powder, tablet, or pill form and the chief feature of drug inspection during the past year has been a study of the variations in medicaments in pills and tablets as dispensed by physicians. A number of prescriptions and proprietary remedies have also been examined. A shortage in the supply of vanilla beans and the prevailing high prices of the raw material suggested a study of commercial vanilla extracts, and complete analyses of the principal brands found on sale have been made. Cocoa, graham flour, spices, so-called diabetic foods, and miscellaneous natural foods are other food items of interest.

The total number of samples is somewhat less than the average for a number of years past, due to the smaller number of milk samples submitted by the Dairy and Food Commissioner, but the amount of work involved has been greater on account of the difficult and time-consuming analyses of medicinal preparations and the detailed analyses of certain food products. Considerable time has been spent in studies of methods of analysis, chiefly in collaboration with the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists; and cooperation with the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry of the American Medical Association has been continued.

Credit for the analytical work herein reported is due entirely to Messrs. Andrew, Shepard, Fisher, Nolan and Mathis. Miss Bacon has assisted materially in preparing this and other reports for publication.

I. FOODS.

CARBONATED BEVERAGES.

The use of saccharin as a sweetening agent in soft drinks is illegal in this State. One hundred and seventy-two samples were submitted by the Dairy and Food Commissioner and only three were found to contain saccharin. This is about 1.7 per cent, of the total number as compared with 40 per cent. in 1920 and 20 per cent. in 1921. Saccharin was found in about 16 per cent. of samples examined in 1923 but the adulterated samples represented the products of only five manufacturers.

The three samples containing saccharin were as follows:

CEREAL PRODUCTS.

434 Edgemont Crackers. The Greer and Green Co., Dayton, Ohio.

437 Triscuit. The Shredded Wheat Co., Niagara Falls, N. Y. 438 Muffits. Muffits Corporation, Batavia, N. Y. Analysis of these products are as follows:

A sample of whole grain wheat, 27900 was submitted by the Dairy and Food Commissioner and an analysis already made and published' was reported.

Сосол, Етс.

Cocoa is chocolate from which a portion of the fat has been removed, and, on a moisture and fat-free basis, should contain not more than 8 per cent. of ash, not more than 0.4 per cent. of ash insoluble in acid and not more than 7 per cent. of crude fiber. The term "breakfast cocoa" designates cocoa containing not less than 22 per cent. of fat. Cocoas are sometimes treated by a special process of alkalizing which darkens the color, develops a characteristic flavor and produces a product which remains in suspension longer when prepared for drinking. These are the so-called Dutch or Dutch process cocoas; they are sometimes, but erroneously, called "soluble" cocoas.

Of the plain cocoas, i. e., non-alkalized and unsweetened, given in Table Ì, all are substantially within the limits of the standard when calculated to moisture and fat-free basis; no fiber content is greater than 7 per cent. and no insoluble ash exceeds 0.4 per cent., excepting 20413 which slightly exceeds that limit. One total ash exceeds 8 per cent. by an insignificant amount, 0.03 per cent.

Three of the four cocoas designated as "breakfast cocoa" contained over 22 per cent. of fat.

Alkali treated or Dutch process cocoas are labeled to show that the mineral constituents are increased by from 1 to 3 per cent. The ash in such products is likely to exceed 8 per cent. and did exceed that figure in all cases, except 21706, as shown in the tabulation. The range in ash content on the moisture-and-fat-free basis for the products examined is 7.63 to 12.25 per cent.

In addition to the samples listed in the table, two others were examined which require no particular comment.

1 Conn. Exp. Sta., Bull. 210, p. 204 (1918).

The Stollwerck Chocolate Co., Stamford, Gold Brand Milk Cocoa. James Van Dyke Co., N. Y., Ambassador.