<p>Open barrel food sales, be they nineteenth century or twentieth, were problematic.   There is the “snacking” hazard and worrisome sanitation scenarios, not to mention the well-known “bottom of the barrel” syndrome.  Giant Foods in the Washington D.C., area revived the century old system of selling “generic foods” from bulk barrels in the 1980s, but it was a short-lived experiment.  
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For more information about FDA history visit <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/WhatWeDo/History/default.htm">www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/WhatWeDo/History/default.htm</a>
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/39736050@N02">The U.S. Food and Drug Administration</a>
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/fdaphotos/7184317429/">Open Barrel Food (064)</a>