The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1888-01-31


Complaints UaCe---------.-- 5,lS6
Zines collected -------.--.- S--tE9
In Massachusetts,, during the years
ISIS % lSS6, there were analysed 1855
samples Of foods collected from various
uartS Of the State. Of which 5.Q4S were
adulterated
Without some explanation, the
above figures taken from various re-
ports are misleading The foods eN-
amined did not include an equal num-
Der Of all kinds Of foods. but mainly
those that are most liable TO adultera-
ton. Inspectors are on the watch for
impure foods not for pure ones, and 50
only suspected articles are analyZed.
Hence, although adulteration may be
extensive in certain lines and forms Of
goods, nevertheless, taking all foods
into consideration and the relative
quantities in which they are used, we
shall find thSt the percentages OF adul-
teratei foods indicated in the preceding
tables viii be very materially dinlin-
ished.
I now propose 10 consider separately
some OF the most important s articles Of
food and u give the results Of the very
lstest research regarding their ddUlter-
Sti0u
WHEAT FLOCR.-Iu EugIaud this
has been found 10 be addlteFated by
the addition Of Othes f0urs, As rice,
bran, pea, rye, Indian corn, and potato
-four also by chalk bone earth, plas-
ter Of Paris, etc. All reports Of recent
examinations made in the United
States sheW that this form Of adulter-
alton L very rarely resorted % AT pre-
sent. The presence OF mildev-r daruel,
srgOt. and OtheI parasites OF the grain,
Constitutes an occasional contamiua-
ton The most frequent form Of dc-
mixture Of foreign ingredients consists
In the addition Of alum, which. al
though more extensively used N bread
L also employed for the purpose OF
Disgusting the presence II damaged
heur IN mixtures or 20 improve tie
appearauce OF al inferior grade it,
addition To a damaged article serves 10
arrest the decomposition Of the gluten
thus preventing the -four from ac,luir-
ing a dark color. and disagreeabIe taste
and odOr. With the immense supplies
sad diminished prices OF ~heat, the
temptariou % aduIterste l. made very
small
BREAD.-The foreign substances
which have been used in aduIterating
bread are much the. same a. those indi-
Gated above in the case OF -four. In
addition may be mentioned water,
mashed uotat0es. boiled rice alum,
borax, and copper sulphate- The Use
of borax and copper sUlphate / ex-
res.ifugIv rare. Mashed potatoes and
boiled rice are added u bread for tile
purrose 0f enabling it to hold more
uateT. and thus Increasing the weight
Alum + used IN bread TO make It
whittier than II would be Otherwise
indeed. whittier than il was intended
10 Be made By nature As 70 the inf1u-
eBee OF alum in bread upon the human
system. the testimony l. very conflict
f1z- Certain il L that ii does no good
and II i believed 20 harden the nutrl-
tive constituent Of bread, the gluten,
making the bread more indigesCible.
Whatever may be the uncertainty on
this point. this fact i indiSElITtabIe. II
enables the baker to add greater guam
titles Of potatoes and rice and to pass
or an inferior OF damaged -four for one
Of fne quality. The extent Of The use
0faTuu Ia bread seems 10 be Increasing.
BUTTER--BUtter consists chiefly u
the fat Of milk, with more or less water
easefn. milk sugar, and salts The
r7re butter fat l. a mixture Of the giy-
eerifies If paImitie, stearie- and 0leie
acids. together with the glyeeFiaies Of
certain soluble and volatile fatty acids