In the State of New York, the legal standards for milk are that it shall not contain more than 88 per cent. of water, nor less than 12 per cent. of milk solids, and 3 per cent. of fat.
In Massachusetts the law fixing a chemical standard of purity for milk reads: “In all cases of prosecution, if the milk shall be shown upon analysis to contain more than 87 per cent. of water, or to contain less than 13 per cent. of milk solids, it shall be deemed, for the purpose of this Act, to be adulterated.”
The Board of Health of New Jersey fixes the minimum amount of total solids at 12 per cent. and the maximum amount of water at 88 per cent. In Paris, the minimum limits for condemnation are the following:—
Fat, 2·70; milk-sugar, 4·50; caseine, albumen, and ash, 4·30; total solids, 11·50.
The following proportion can be employed in the calculation of the amount of pure milk (x) contained in a suspected sample:—
From the total solids:—
12·5: total solids found = 100 : x.
From the solids not fat:—
9·30: solids not fat = 100 : x.