The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-15
ADULTERATED BEERS.
RESULTS OF AN INVESTIGATION BY
THE GOVERNMENT.
Use OF Preservatives the Worst Practice
Substitutes for Malta Good Show
ing in Regard to Hops-Soda and
Salt In Excess.

Washington Correspondence OF the Gobc.Dcm
ocmt .f
The investigation OF food authorizations
was undertaken some time ago by the staff
OF chemists in the department Of agricul-
turc. II has progressed far enough TO yield
some interesting and valuable results.
Commissioner Colman has within the past
week received from Mr.. Champion, who
conducted that branch Of the inquiry, his
report OF malt liquors The conclusions
will not be entirely satisfactory to the pro-
hibtionists, who have published some
startling things about the secrets Of the
brewers. But the chemist does not hest.
tate 10 lay bare such discoveries Of dishOn-
est practices ny he has made. His report
10 the commissioner il n straightforward,
fair minded effort, the result evidently OF
conscientious work.
Some interesting information about the
extent of beer drinking in the United
States goes with the report. II appears
the consumption of beer per annum in
this country is now eleven gallons for each
man, woman and child. We use nine
times as much beer M whisky and We
pay Tor our beer in the course Of twelve
months the sum of 1904, 600, 900 The pro-
duclion Of beer in the United States ranks
rs an industry only second in importance
10 that OF brcadstuils.
Probably there is no one article Of daily
consumption that has been ~ often subject
| tO suspicion Oi adultcatiQn rs beer, SAYS
the chemist. 'lts complex composition
aud peculiar nature have deceived pcoplc
into making all sorts Of charges against it,
| purity. but experience has failed To cstab-
lisl the truth OF by far the greater majority
oi these charges, and the facts Of ~ many
| published analyses show that II Is as free
from adultemtion ~ most other articles OF
consumption, aud more No than some
"lleru comes In the question, ~ difficult
| 10 answer In this country" continues the
chemist, ''oi wha, constitutes adulhfaiidn
or sophsiication Of nm article IL food?
The definition Of what shall constitute q
pure malt liquor is hard TO settle. Even
in Europe, where u much stricicr super
vision IL kept over food-stuiIs than here,
the definition varies widely. In Bavaria,
where more beer per capita Is consumed
than in any other country, the laws limit
the materials from which II il made a.
barley, malt, hops, yeast aud water. while
in England the comprehensive definition
has been given 10 beer NJ being "a fer
| iAlfNlAih NAAAllAiAli AiAlNNlnA W. WHICH n
wholesome bitter has been added"
As regards substitutes for malt, the iu-
ycstigalion was not satisfactory because
there WIS no standard Ia Judge by. The
chemist SAYS lit il a well known fact that
very few beers arr made In this country
without morc or less malt substitution"
IL Is still a debated question whether the
substitutes are injurious aud can be- classcd
as authorizations. These substitutes are of
three kinds. First, other grain than barley
is used for mailing. second, unmaltcd,
staphy matter, thar is whole grain, IL
added Ia the malt before il j. mashed. for
the malt has converting power for con-
sidcrably more starch than IL contained in
itself; the third substitute consists In the
Use of glucose, cane sugar or starch sugar
instead oi the malt.
This last the chemist pronounccs most
Objectionable because the nitrogcnand the
phosphate salts Of the grain ARE lacking
Beer made 10y this third substitute may be-
likcncd 10 bread made wholly from starch.
II il filling, but lacks nutrition.
Thiriy.two varieties II beer tested by the
government chemists all gave phosphoric
acid aud nitrogen In quantities above the
minimum limits set by the Europcan
chemists for good beer.
A thorough -carrh was made for snhsti.
tulcs for hops The nature Of the bitten
used in beer" SAYS the chemist, has long
been the target toward which public sus.
picion las been directed. Nearly every
substance known possessing a bitter taste
has been enumerated among the adultcr-
atoms oi beer, from poisonous alkaloids-
such ~ slychninc aud picroioxin-t to
harmless or quasi.harmlcss bitter roots
and woods, such ~ quassia, gcntian, etc"
The chemist applied to all his samples
the test given 10y authorities 90 determine
whether the bitter matter Is from hops on
hop substitutes. lie SAYS II found them
all free from foreign biticn with one cX.
ccpiion, which contained bitter other
than hops, not In sufficient quantity TO
admit Of Us separation and identification.
Next search was made for the prcscry-
ing agents. This the chemist considers
the most important sophisiication of beer
at the present day, and the most rcprchcn-
siblc and most deserving OF rcprcssiyc leg
islation.
"rhe use Of artificial preserving agents."
he saws, mot only introduces foreign mat
tens into the beer which are mcne or less
injurious according 20 the nature Of the
material used, but also serves 10 cover IN
"fi'A fAhht' AAA' A'"iNAH W NAANhAiNNMl NlNMNWE
Of unfit materials; giving 10 the public for
consumption liquor that, u left 10 itself
under natural conditions, would have be.
come offensive 10 the senses and putiid
with corruption long before Il was offered
for sale"
These prcscrvaiiyc agents 20 which the
above applies, arr salicylic acid, bisulphate
Of lime aud bomcic acid. France has pro.
hibitcd the Use Of ualicylic acid NJ a pre.
serving agent In any form Of food and
drink, ON the ground that Il il dangerous
10 health.
Germany has prohibited Il, except IN
beer intended Tor export 10 countries
where Il is allowed.
Ont Of the thlrty.two beers the chem.
ist says II found seven 20 contain
salioyic acid In sufficient quantities 10
admit Of qualitative proof. or nearly one.