The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-08-02

COmpO0ltlOn: VOuSos o. PEI CcutOM
pease. 50 per centum; rye, 3 per centum !;
chiccory, 8 per centum. A simple method
for detecting some OF these substances
consists in slightly stirring the suspected
sample with cold water and observing the
color Of the liquid and the gravity Of the
powder. Pure coffee will remain floating
upon the surface of the water for some
time, and fails to impart . perceptible
color to it. whereas chiccory and beans
Especially the former) at once sink to the
bottom and color the liquid decidedly.
Other substances which also rise to the
surface of the water can be easily dis.
tinguished from coffee by their appear.
ance and taste. Another simple test is to
spread the coffee out on slip of glass,
slightly moisten it with water. and then
touch the layer in different parts with the
point Of needle; in this way the pres
ence Of soft non. resisting foreign ingredi.
ents can be readily detected. If on open.
ing the package the contents are caked,
or show . tendency to cake, the presence
Of chiccory Is indicated.
The artificial coloring of confectionery
also merits consideration, owing to the
important sanitary effects involved. Il
has long been known that poisonous pig.
ments were employed for this purpose,
and from time to time the attention of the
public is directed to the subject by some
particularly aggravated case coming to
light. A few days ago five Boston confec.
TONERS were arrested upon the charge of
using injurious Ingredients in the manu.
facture of candy, and Boston CONNECTION.
cry, it seems, has hitherto enjoyed . very
high reputation for purity. One Of the most
common and deleterious substances used in
the coloring of confectionery ischromate of
lead, which is employed for the rrOduc.
ton Of yellow color. Red, another favolite
hue, is obtained by means of c0chineal.
but such poisonous compounds AZ red lead
and vermilli0n are also sometimes used
for its production. Green and blue cOl0rs,
which are, fortunately, less often met
with, are usually produced by means of
Prussian blue, Brunswick green, Scheel's
green, etc., all of which must be CHASED as
very dangerous substances. These colors
can be obtained by using vegetable dyes
which are quite harmless, and although
the tints are then less brilliant, this fact
is certainly no excuse for resorting to
poisonous pigments. In regard to the de.
lection of the worst of these substances,
chromate of lead can be recognized by
touching the yellow part of the candy
with q drop Of hydrochl0ric acid, then
with little su!phide of ammonia, when q
black color will be produced. If the red
c0l0ring matter present is cochineal it
will acquire purple color when i'm
mersed in q solution of pOtassa; otherwise
there is reason to suspect the presence of
the more harmful red pigments men.
toned. The tests for the various kinds of
blue and green col0rs are less simple, but
copper, which is frequently an ingTedi-
ent of these colors, can be detected by the
method described while treating of the
adulteration of pickles, the candy being
dissolved in water and little sulphuric
acid added to the solution before the iron
is immersed.
In most foreign countries effective
means have been adopted to expose and
prevent the adulteratiou of food, but with
us little has been accomplished in this d.
rectiGn. In Europe, boards of public
analysis are appointed, who carefully ex-
anime suspected articles of food here this
duty usually devOlves upon some member
of the local Board of Health, whose time,
as rule, is fully occupied by other en-
ployment. During the last few years our
Custom. House officials have exercised
commendable care in regard TO the quail
ty of the drugs admitted through the Gus.
toms, ana the question natural arises
Should not at least equal importance be
attached to the subject of the purity Of
the food sold by our grocers and con-
sumed by our families IN. 7. Esesing
Post.