1/24/2018 American Food Laws American Food Laws Early food laws Early food laws The US became more urban and industrialized 1880-Chief chemist of the USDA, -marketplaces were developed to purchase food Peter Collier adulteration became a bigger problem to meet -Recommended a national food and drug the demand law technology led to new ingredients and Americans felt food regulation was a products that were not safe state issue and a federal issue economic and unsafe adulteration was a Then as today,federal agencies problem (executive branch)cannot regulate food states had laws dealing with adulteration but industry until Congress(legislative these laws did not apply to interstate branch)authorizes the agency to do so commerce Only recommendations can be made American Food Laws American Food Laws Early food laws Early food laws 1877-State Boards of Health Level of adulteration in New york in 1882 formulated laws against adulteration Item -Published statistics on adulteration in Butter 40 21 52.5 the food supply Olive oil 16 9 56.3 Difficulties occurred in enforcing the Baking powder 84 8 9.5 117 law due to lack of explicit details in the Flour 8 6.8 Spices 180 112 62.2 law Coffee (ground)21 19 90.5 State enacted laws provide too much Candy (yellow)10 > 70.0 variation in laws between states Brandy 25 16 64.0 4 601/24/2018 7 • The US became more urban and industrialized - marketplaces were developed to purchase food - adulteration became a bigger problem to meet the demand - technology led to new ingredients and products that were not safe - economic and unsafe adulteration was a problem - states had laws dealing with adulteration but these laws did not apply to interstate commerce American Food Laws Early food laws • 1880 – Chief chemist of the USDA, Peter Collier - Recommended a national food and drug law - Americans felt food regulation was a state issue and a federal issue • Then as today, federal agencies (executive branch) cannot regulate food industry until Congress (legislative branch) authorizes the agency to do so • Only recommendations can be made American Food Laws Early food laws • 1877 – State Boards of Health formulated laws against adulteration - Published statistics on adulteration in the food supply - Difficulties occurred in enforcing the law due to lack of explicit details in the law - State enacted laws provide too much variation in laws between states American Food Laws Early food laws Item # samples tested # found to be adulterated Percent adulterated Butter 40 21 52.5 Olive oil 16 9 56.3 Baking powder 84 8 9.5 Flour 117 8 6.8 Spices 180 112 62.2 Coffee (ground) 21 19 90.5 Candy (yellow) 10 7 70.0 Brandy 25 16 64.0 Sugar 67 4 6.0 American Food Laws Early food laws Level of adulteration in New York in 1882