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Show BENZOATE OF SODA. At the soda fountains about the city, there have been posted signs informing the public that cer-, cer-, tain things served at the fountain contain a trace of benzoate of soda and artificial coloring matter. Other signs 6ay they contain one-tenth of one per cent of benzoate and artificial coloring matter. One dispenser of the cooling and refreshing drinks said the signs were necessary in order to comply with the pure food law, and the benzoate of soda was necessary to preserve the fruit flavors. The necessity in the first instance is apparent, but the second instance recalls a historic incident wherein a man made a plea that he must live, which plea was met with the rejoinder that the necessity was not obvious. The necessity of making fruit flavors that will not keep, or any flavor that must be artificially arti-ficially 1 colored, is not apparent. Patrons of the soda fountains could get along without them, and really ought to insist on drinks without the coloring color-ing or the benzoate. The truth is that the great majority of cases where preservatives are added to food products, be they soda-water flavors or meats, the injurious chemical is added to disguise inferior ingredients. In the other instances where the preservative is used, it is for the purpose of keeping the article a much longer period than it ought to be kept. The necessity of chemical preservatives is therefore not apparent. People can get along very well without th flavors which require the chemical, and they would be better off without them. |