The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-08-08
How Coffee is Adulterated.

Professor s. 2. sharples, the State
Assayer of Massachusetts,, i making
some analysis of articles of food. which
are resulting in interesting disclosures.
Package coffee has engaged his atten-
ton, but be has found very few traces
Of the berry itself. The following are
some Of the results of his examination:
Hayward & Co French breakfast
Coffee" the label of which sets forth
that only three-quarters as much Of 1t
need be used as would be required if
ordinary coffee was employed, is found
TO contain 10 coffee at all, but to be
made of green peas, burned molssses
and IAN occasional grain Of rye"
A package OF Pure roasted and
ground Cape coif-e, WAS found to be
made wholly of peas and Lutsh-lls. the
latter floating when the mixture Was
put INTO wafer.
A package Of "kimball's first quality
Mocha and Java coffee" also contained
no coffee at all but was made OF peas
and rye.
"Glinse S extra quality French coffee"
was also destitute If any foreign sub
stance. peas AMI rye predomiuat.pg,
with iev oats.
"Chases English breakfast coffee" is
large consumer of peas, the traces of
coffee bcln4 30 slight that the assayer
pfononDcos them accidental Happily
the analysis Ia, not disclosed the pres
cnce Of any positive injurious substance,
aud if people NhO eau easily find out
the cost Of a pound Of green cutfec, cx-
pect to buy like quality roasted and
ground for half that price, they de-
serve TO drink weak pea soup. For de-
tecting authorizations the following
rules are given
Take some cold water IN glass and
throw upon it about half a te.-spoonful
OF the coffee TO be tested, stirring il
around so as to wet the grains. Pure
coffee will float aud scarcely color the
water. Beans and chiccoFy SINK to the
bottom. Chiccory colors the water at
once. beans more slowly. Test the
part that floats by chewing it. Coffee
will thus DO recognized by its taste.
Nut hells, which also float, are hard
and brittle. A species of nut which
has lately come into use strongly resem-
bles coffee when ground up by floating
on the water as we'll rs by its feeling
between the teeth but the difference
can easily be detected, because the
adnlteration ingredient is nearly taste
less. After subjecting the suspected
article to the above test, spread some of
it on sheet of paper and examine it
carefully for grains OF rye, oats and
peas. The pea ingredient will fire.
queDtly be found in pieces one. eighth
the size OF the pea and the rye i'll half
grains. ChiccOry is tough when taken
between the teeth aud has bitter
taste, different from tie bitter of coffee.
Another article which has been
looked in to is cream of tartar IN pack
ages Much of it Contains no cream of
tartar at all. but is composed of acid,
phosphate 81 ilGie, starch and gypsum.
- As to the roasted peas and rye
which are sold instead Of coffee, it is
pretty certain that they are more
wholesome than the fruit of the coffee
plant. being destitute of any narcotic
quality; but the thing is fraud, and it
would be better for famiiies-cheaper
ct least to roast their own peas aud
make their own weak pea soup. a. to
chiccory. 1t Is well known that at the
restaurants in Paris and other French
towns ali the coffee served 10 customers
il largely adulterated with the roasted
roots OF that plant, which is cultivated
tor that purpose.