The following are the more important and recent laws relating to Food Adulteration, which have been enacted by American State Legislatures, and by the United States Government.
The New York State General Law, of 1881, for the prevention of the adulteration of food and drugs, is as follows:—
Section 1. No person shall, within this State, manufacture, have, offer for sale, or sell any article of food or drugs which is adulterated within the meaning of this Act, and any person violating this provision shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanour, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by fine not exceeding fifty dollars for the first offence, and not exceeding one hundred dollars for each subsequent offence.
2. The term “food,” as used in this Act, shall include every article used for food or drink by man. The term “drug,” as used in this Act, shall include all medicines for internal and external use.
3. An article shall be deemed to be adulterated within the meaning of this Act:—
a.—In the case of drugs.
1. If, when sold under or by a name recognised in the United States Pharmacopœia, it differs from the standard of strength, quality, or purity laid down therein.
2. If, when sold under or by a name not recognised in the United States Pharmacopœia, but which is found in some other pharmacopœia or other standard work on Materia Medica, it differs materially from the standard of strength, quality, or purity laid down in such work.
3. If its strength or purity fall below the professed standard under which it is sold.
b.—In the case of food or drink.