The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-01-27
| very Morning Except Sundays.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
reerful Report of the Government

kbeerful Report of the Government
chemist on Food swindIes.
Part 7 Of Bulletin No. Is, Department
Il Agriculture. Division of Chemistry,
now in press. treats Of the adulteratiOn of
airy PRODUCTS. and tells nothing new.
Il Part II consists Of the results Of an in
s<estigation of spices and condiments and
4heir authorizations, by Clifford Richard
an The extent of fraud in this direc-
Sion in this and other countries is looked
7to and the results Of the investigations
81 Dublic ANALYSTS and boards of health
coIIected and reviewed. The best means
to employ for the detection Of foreign
Substances. both micrOScOpiCal and chem
icai. are explained, so that the report
will serve as a valuable means of refer
renee for those engaged in similar work.
\ large number of specimens of spices
land condiments purchased in Washing
ton and Baltimore in this connection
I have been carefully examined and an
alyzed. The results show the almost
universal practice which exists of dilu-
ton Of the pure spice with cheap or
waste material, or the substitution of in
ferior goods. The more common adul-
terants We're found to be, for this part of
the country, yellow corn meal, cracker
dust. c0lOred earths or Ochres, cayennes,
mustard hulls and farinaceous matter of
all kinds. Elsewhere ground refuse CO.
coanut shells, peanut shells, oil cake, COW
peas, cedar sawdust, olive stones and
buckwheat are often found. Among
I,,.~y1 u, Of
found which had undergone no alteration
from the original seed.
In all but the English the fixed oil had
been expressed, since it is used for many
purposes anu adds nothing to the value
lot the seed as a cOndiment. This, per-
hapS, cannot be Classed as an adultera-
ton The cOmmOner additions are flour
and yellow cornmeal, with at times hulls
OF the white mustard seed, and color in
the shape of tIrmeric or some coal tar
yellow. None of these authorizations are
Injurious, but deprive the purchaser of
his rights. Mineral matter is at times
added. Ordinary gypsum was found in
two samples in large amount, and sand
IN another to a greater extent than cOnld
occur by accident The latter brand
contained flour as well as sand, and was
deprived of its oil.
Only one pure brand of pepper was
10und and that was of English origin.
S Inc cheaper varieties were made up of
pepper hulls, yellow corn, burnt shells,
cracker dust, woody fiber and cayenne
70 give pungency, all these materials
oelilg found In one specimen. Red pep
per was made from yellow corn and a
Ieu earth, with sufficient cayenne for
pungency.
Ulnger Is found in its original condi-
uch IN many qualities. Then it is diluted
WIN Iarlnaceous matter, mustard hulls,
ooII ana burnt shells, and is often col
ored with turmeric.
;. Cloves suffer from the abstraction of
' .nf essential oil which gives them their
va 'sl.'e, and are adulterated with material
o " nlieflor nature, such as spent cloves
anu Glove stems, corn, burned shells and
l-.illeta coloring matter. Different
g SilLutrS select their adulterants, and by
rne ad OF coloring run them through
W 1I,,'ii' inherent spices. Washington Cor.
New York World