Formaldehyde in the Milk: Seattle's Pure Food Prosecutions
State Dairy and Pure Food Commissioner E. A. McDonald reports eight Seattle milk sellers fined for adulteration, including formaldehyde and low butterfat, as part of a statewide crackdown.
State Dairy and Pure Food Commissioner E. A. McDonald has prepared a statement showing the result of eleven prosecutions made by his office for food adulterations since September 1st. Of the prosecutions eight were for selling adulterated milk, all of which occurred in Seattle. The three other cases arose in Davenport, Anacortes and Tacoma.
A $25 fine was imposed upon Parks Bros. Co. for selling adulterated honey at Davenport. Parks Bros. Co. of San Francisco are given as the manufacturers. An analysis of the honey showed sucrose, 4.6 per cent; direct polarization, plus 49.7 deg.; indirect polarization, 26 deg. C plus 43.7 deg., adulterated with glucose.
A currant jelly sold by A. Marvin was analyzed as follows: Water, 25.45 per cent; sucrose, 22.53 per cent; ash, 0.83 per cent; reducing sugar (glucose), 44.79 per cent; total solids, 74.55 per cent; direct polarization, plus 59.4 deg., indirect polarization, 19.8 C plus 56.0 deg, adulterated with glucose. A fine of $25 was imposed by Judge Lowman at Anacortes.
It cost Armstrong Switzer $25 when Judge Griffin found them guilty of selling the Blue Ribbon brand of mustard, made by Caswell Co. of San Francisco. An analysis showed the mustard adulterated as follows: Moisture, 6.33 per cent; total ash, 4.37 per cent; insoluble ash, 0.20 per cent; volatile ether extract, 0.29 per cent; non-volatile ether extract, 11.58 per cent; reducing matter calculated as starch, 42.57 per cent; crude fiber, 2.64 per cent, adulterated with starchy material and colored with turmeric.
Judge Cann heard all the milk cases save one. He imposed fines as follows: Upon John Prentice, $50, adulterated milk containing less than 3 per cent butter fat; Y. Ote, $50, milk containing formaldehyde; J. Damastes, $75, milk containing formaldehyde; Peter Corini, $50, adulterated milk containing less than 3 per cent butter fat; Ben Corini, $50, adulterated milk containing less than 3 per cent butter fat; Rice Curtis, $25, adulterated milk containing less than 3 per cent butter fat; N. C. Cadin, $25, adulterated milk containing less than 3 per cent butter fat. Judge George heard the case against McKenzie Holstein, accused of selling milk containing formaldehyde, and imposed a fine of $25. This has been appealed to the superior court.
“Y. Ote, $50, milk containing formaldehyde; J. Damastes, $75, milk containing formaldehyde.”
A century before farm-to-table labels and modern food-safety recalls, Seattle's milk supply was routinely cut with water, chalk, and formaldehyde. Then as now, enforcement depended on underfunded inspectors and court fines—and consumers had little way of knowing what was in the bottle.
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