Special Act in relation to the manufacture and sale of vinegar.
(Passed June 9, 1886.)
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:—
Section 1. Every person who manufactures for sale, or offers or exposes for sale as cider vinegar, any vinegar not the legitimate product of pure apple juice, known as apple cider, or vinegar not made exclusively of said apple cider, or vinegar into which foreign substances, drugs or acids have been introduced, as may appear by proper test, shall for each offence be punishable by a fine of not less than fifty, nor more than one hundred dollars.
2. Every person who manufactures for sale, or offers for sale, any vinegar found upon proper tests to contain any preparation of lead, copper, sulphuric acid, or other ingredient injurious to health, shall for each such offence be punishable by fine of not less than one hundred dollars.
3. The mayor of cities shall, and the supervisor of towns may, annually, appoint one or more persons to be inspectors of vinegar, who shall be sworn before entering upon their duties, and who shall have power and authority to inspect and examine all vinegar offered for sale.
4. No person shall by himself, his servant or agent, or as the servant or agent of any other person, sell, exchange, deliver, or have in his custody or possession, with intent to sell or exchange, or expose or offer for sale or exchange any adulterated vinegar, or label, brand or sell as cider vinegar, or as apple vinegar, any vinegar not the legitimate product of pure apple juice, or not made exclusively from apple cider.
5. All vinegars shall be without artificial colouring matter, and shall have an acidity equivalent to the presence of not less than four and one-half per cent., by weight, of absolute acetic acid, and in the case of cider vinegar, shall contain in addition not less than two per cent. by weight of cider vinegar solids upon full evaporation over boiling water; and if any vinegar contains any artificial colouring matter or less than the above amount of acidity, or in the case of cider vinegar, if it contains less than the above amount of acidity or of cider vinegar solids, it shall be deemed to be adulterated within the meaning of this Act.
6. Every person making or manufacturing cider vinegar shall brand on each head of the cask, barrel or keg containing such vinegar the name and residence of the manufacturer, the date when same was manufactured, and the words cider vinegar.
7. Whoever violates any of the provisions of this Act shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars. Any person who may have suffered any injury or damage by reason of the violation of any of the provisions of this Act, may maintain an action in his own name against any person violating any of the provisions of this Act, to recover the penalties provided for such violation, and one-half of the sum recovered shall be retained by him for his own use and the other half shall be paid into the city or county treasury where such offence was committed for the benefit of such city or county.