The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1879-02-12
FOOD ADULTERA4T0N.


ton, the New York Evening Post &C.
casionally does a little investigating
on its own account. Not very long
ago, it looked into the question of
the adulteration of bread, and found
from the chemical analysis of many
specimens, that the bakers as a class
were "surprisingly honest" A later
investigation. in the matter Of tea
did not result quite so satisfactorily,
as large number of the specimens
purchased were found to be mot alb
solutely pure" Still later, it has
turned its attention to the article of
coffee, and gives the result of the ana
lysis of nineteen samples purchased
at random from as many different
grocers, and submitted to DR.. FL. A.
Mott, as a chemical expert, fer ex-
animation. A portion of his report
is as follows:
"Out of these nineteen samples Of
ground coffee seven samples were found
adulterated. All seven contained chic
DRY, and two contained in addition roas-
ted cereals. The addition of chicory to
coffee must be considered fraud unless
the purchaser particularly asks the gro
Ger to put it in. Because some people
like the flavor of chicory in their coffee
is no reason that people who dislike it,
preferring a perfectly pure unadultera
ted article, should be imposed upon"
DR.. Mott gives simple test by
means of which any housewife can at
once determine if her coffee contains
chicory, and which is certainly worth
knowing. 1t is as follows:
On the surface of glass of water pat
pinch of the coffee to be examined
not more than half teaspoonful stir
the coffee in with the water rapidly for
one-Quarter to one-half a minute if the
water becomes Immediately cOlorcd, and
several grains sink to the bottom, it is
sure indication that the samples is not
pure. Pure coffee gives only the slight
est tint to the water, and rarely if ever
any of its grains sink to the bottom I'M
less left to stand for several hours.
As many of the adulterated speci-
mems above mentioned were pur-
chased in the berry and ground in
the presence Of the buyer, lit shows
Gays the Post "that it" (the chicory)
must have been pressed into shape
to resemble coffee" According to
retired dealer who, furnishes the
story to the Post this is one method
by which it is done. He says:
awe used to buy very soft, fine blue
clay, grind it thoroughly and dry out
the water. 1t was then mOistened to
moulding consistency with extract of
chicory and dandelion, moulded into
coffee bean shape and mixed with Ger
tain proportion of pure coffee. When
roasted it had all the appearance of gen
uine coffee, with the additional advan-
tage to us of weighing more. Using |
twenty-five per centum of clay beans,
which weighed about twenty-five per |
centum more than the real coffee, we |
would get six and one-quarter per cen
-um more weight out of given quanti-
.y by measure, and this additional
weight was enough to pay for the work
ing of the clay into shape so that our
clay coffee gave us clean profit of
twenty five cents on the dollar, beside
he profit on the genuine coffee"
Interesting, is it not We have
often wondered what people meant
by asking others to ,'moisten' their
clay" Now it is all explained. ut
auSt refer to The making of coffee
rom a certain grade of raw material.
viii you have milk aud sugar in
yours