The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1888-02-07

heau Derore the SOCIAL Solence Nlub IN
December, 1887, bv L. I. Van Slyke, Pro
fessor of Chemistry, Oahn College.
TEA.-It l. not far from the truth to
say that no article among food sub
stances has been, nj least in years past,
more subjected to adUlteration than
tea. The adulteraiions which are prac-
tised 10 the greatest extent may be
conveniently divided into three classes
First, we have additions made for the
purpose of giving increased bulk and
weight such as foreign leaves, spent
tea leaves, metallic iron, sand, hriekdust,
and other mineral substances. Second,
there are substances added in order
70 produce an artificial appearance of
strength to the tea decoction. catechu
and other bodies rich i'm tannin being
mainly used for this purpose. Third,
various coloTiug mixtures or - facingSn
are used for the purpose OF imparting
70 inferior teas a bright and shining
appearance. - Facing l. sometimes
practised upon black tea bur Is much
more common with the green variety
This adultCration involves the use OF
soapstone, gypsum, china clay Prus-
sian blue, indigo. turmeric, and gra-
phite.
In the official report Of the United
States Tea Examiner at New York
city, we find it stated that, from March
10 December Of 1883, about four mil
lions of pounds of tea were inspected
and $4,000 pounds We're rejected as
unfit for use. In 2,00O samples of tea
examined since 1883, the proportion
grossly adulterated has been over nine
per cent. In the experience of the two
= .,
ations consist mainly of two kinds
the admixture of exhausted tea-leaves,
and the application 10 the tea of some
facing preparation.
CoFFEE.-Coffee appears in the mar
ket in three forms-iirst. uuroaSted:
second, roasted; third, roasted and
ground. The whole unroasted berries
are'sometimes ''faced" or improved in
appearance by treatment with various
cOloring matters. some of which are
poisonous: but this practice does not
seem 10 be very common now. Letters
patent have been issued for the ficti-
tiouS manufacture OF pressed coffee
bean. which contains no trace of
coffee, though this does not appear ever
10 have been met with a Vet in the
market.
II is the ground coffee which offers
an attractive field for adulteration and
the number u substitutes Is quite eX-
tenSive. Much of the coffee sold in
packages i very largely adulterated
with chicory, burntpeas, beans, wheat,
acOrns, rye and burnt sugar The fol-
lowing Substances are known 10 have
been used also: Coffee grounds, beet
rotI, carrots, parsnip, baked liver saw
dust, oak bark, tan, ground date stones,
and red earth. Many of the so-called
eOffees hearing hieh-Sounding titles
contain no coffee whatever and the
cOffee extracts are a. free from any
thing contained in coffee Is well can
be. Two samples of So-called coffee
essence examined in Boston were made
UP mostly of chicOry, burnt starch.
and burnt sugar; one was marked
Emil .SCejig'S KGffce, ecHt qdragitiyT''
guaranteed pure. Some samples lab
elled coffee essence, coffee extract, and
coffee surrogate, examined in New
York, were composed chiefly of burnt
sugar and licorice and contained no
trace OF coffee.
The greater number OF package
coIfee> do not purpOu 10 he strictly
genuine, Tor. thoughnot directly stated
on the label. the character OF the con-
tents is implied in the directions for
use which generally begin with the
words. Se oue-third les than YOU
would Oi pure coffee lit would be
more honest 70 advise people 10 use
tiree-ttTdS les of package coffee
OF the foilowiug-named brands. eN-
amiued in Boston, scarcely one con-
tanned amy real coffee, the compound /
usually consisting of roasted peas, rye. /
or wheat, with OF without chicorv: |
Eureka. Medicated, Plantation, Old |
Spanish Hacienda, French Breakfast. |
Vienna Breakfast, Brazil Blended, |
American Company's Java Coffee, EX- |
celsior
What's in name? =? Here are few !
more specimens: Delicious Coffee, con-
tanning beans and chicory; Finest |
TarkiSh Coffee, much chieory, roasted |
corn, and very little coffee Finest |
.JdrG Coffee, much roasted corn and a |
little chicory; P7riSidR Coffee, princi- |
pally ehicory and roasted corn; Superb |
Coffee. like the foregoing: Delicious |
Family Coffee, three-quarters chieoTy. |
BY far the most prevalent adultera- |
tion of coffee is chicory. Chicoly Is 1
not in any way injurious 10 health, /
buI in regard 10 the moral aspects Of 1
its use, we can safely say that, while 1
the addition Of chicoTy 10 coffee is /
largely sanctioned. and indeed de-
maHded by the existing corrupted /
tastes Of many chieory-c y-coffee-drinkers,
It's use constitutes a true adulteratiOn, 1
and should be condemned. unless its
presence Is prominently stated on the
label OF the package. The active prin-
ciples of coffee. which exert valuable
physiological effects on the human
system, are entirely wanting in chic
cry; and, moreover, its comparative
cheapness l. 3 constant temptation 10
employ a proportion largely in ex-
ceSS Of the amount needed 10 produce
any alleged improvement in the flavor
Of the resulting mixture.
CoCOA and CHOCOLATE. Cocoa Is
the roasted seeds Of the Tbe0Jrdnq
cdoRo. 1t sometimes appears in COM
mence As cocoa nibs" i q, partially
ground. but il is more commonly sold 4
in the finely ground OF powdered state,