Pure Food and Drug and Meat Inspection Acts
On June 30, 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act into law, to help improve the quality and labeling of America’s food and medicines.
At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a great deal of public pressure to improve the standards governing America’s food and drug industries. Many states had food laws, but they were not well enforced. Also, regulations varied between states, and products that were legal in one state could make their way into other states where they were illegal.