With widely distributed production, transportation, storage, preservation, and factory preparation of food, keeping food has grown to be an important problem that needs to be solved for all humanity. Fortunately both science and government are seriously concerning themselves with this problem. The interpretation of the laws regulating the practices in the preservation of food is also coming under closer consideration.

The attorney general of the United States is quoted as saying in a specific instance regarding food-purity :

If minute quantities of nitrites may be added to flour, of boric acid to eggs, of chromate of lead to the coffee-bean, of sulphate of copper to peas, of arsenic or lead to baking-powder, of Martin's yellow to macaroni, of wood-alcohol to flavoring-extracts, so long as it is not probable that enough in each case has been added possibly to injure health of some one, then the statute is incapable of enforcement. If actual injury must be shown, what standard of resistance is to be adopted ? Will it be that of the sickly infant or that of the strong man ?

Bleaching and dyeing foods to improve their appearance as well as preservatives, bring into foods substances foreign to them, which do not always affect favorably either the foods or the persons that consume foods so treated. Sulphites are used to bleach asparagus and other light-colored vegetables and fruits, also flours and sugar.

Dyes may be those natural in vegetable food which have been extracted to be so used. But food-dyes may also be aniline dyes made from coal-tar products. None of the latter are foods. Some are considered harmless; others are known to be poisonous. The government forbids use of the latter. Coloring food is to-day common. Confections are generally artificially colored; even canned tomatoes have been found to be.

Reliable sources of supply, scientifically regulated, are essential for safe foods, especially when preserved, bleached, or dyed.