The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-15
SPURIOUS SPICES.
How Pepper and Other Ground Con
diments are Adulterated.
From the Washington Star.

From the Washington Star.
DIR. Thomas Taylor, microscopic of the
agricultural department, is engaged in max
ing microscopic examinations of a number
of samples of condiments purchased at va
rious stores in this city. Samples of pep
per, allspice and cloves are now undergoing
scrutiny. In almost, if not in every sam
pie examined, some adulterant has been
found. The condiments are purchased at
stores and delivered in Theoretically sealed
packages bearing the names and addresses
of the manufacturers. The labels are num-
bered and carefully put away for further
reference. Both the whole berries and the
ground condiments are purchased. DIR,
Taylor said to reporter that the investiga-
ton was mainly for the purpose of finding
out simpler methods by which adulterating
ingredients may lie detected.
THE ADULTERANTs USED.
In making the Investigations he had OBJ
served that the common adulterants, brick
dust and sand, were not used so much now
as they were formerly, but he had found
that stone cells of olives ard other seed are
largely used. Peach seed, olive seed and
cocoanut shells. he thought, were the prin-
cipal adulterants. They have no taste or
smell and he saw no reason why they could
not be used in all condiments. To make
microscopic scCllOilS VI OidCh Pepper u Derry
is inserted in wax tip on a common cork,
and, by means of the microtone, a new in
vention of DR.. Taylor's, shaving thin
enough to be transparent is taken from the
berry which is buried in the wax. This is
transferred to glass and photographed for
the purpose of ascertaining its structure
| 1t is also drawn in colors, stains being used,
enabling one to detect the various sub
stances.
GROUND OLIVE SEEDS.
DR.. Taylor has obtained from the olive
and vine farm of S. f. Goodrldge, in Cali
fornia, a quantity of olive stones. The
| stones were ground to powder and passed
| through the finest sieve Imaginable. By
| subiecting portion of this powder to the
microscope 1t was found TO be composed of
what is known to the botanists as stone
cells Under polarized light they are very
brilliant and easily distinguished from tho
stone cells of the genuine article AS COM
| pared with the stone cells OF black pepper
they are long and narrow. As already
stated, another adulterant used is ground
| cocoanut shell. The powder made by the
shells is much darker than that made by the
olive stones, which is of a yellowish hue
Tho cocoanut shell powder is more suitable
| to ginger and spices The structure of the
| different condiments having been deter
mined it can be easily ascertained with the
substance has been introduced in it and
what the substance is. Black pepper, when
good, said DR.. Taylor, will have fair
share of the back-skin covering Of the
berry When there is n scarcity of the
black skin in the pepper and it appears
streaky, the article is apt to contain some
adulterant. Authorizations, he said, can
easily be detected by the fingers. All that
is necessary is to put some OF the article in
water and rub it between your fingers. II
an adulterant has been used the stone cells
can be felt. After taking your fingers from
the water some Of the stone cells will re-
main on them.
THE MICROSCOPE IN COURT
When asked whether the result Of the
microscopic examination would hold good
in the courts in prosecution for selling
adulterated food, the doctor said that there
was not the slightest doubt but what it
would. He said that microscopic tests OF
bogus butter had stood in the courts, but he
knew of no convictions where the analsys
was made by a chemist.