Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-03

| let him buy the chicory and coffee separately
and mix them himself; this will be cheaper
! still. But it is by no means advisable to dc
this; it is better by far to drink the old
fashioned "cambric tea, made of hot water
milk and sugar. This will be nourishing,
and soothing to the stomach, while the
chicory infusion has been demonstrated moi
to be so innocent as had been supposed.
BEWARE OF GROUND COFFEE.
The turnips, rye, acorns and beans were
with one exception only found in ground
coffees. They were in each instance ground
and roasted except in case of the beans,
which were in one instance present entire in
a sample of whole coffee. For these adul-
terations not even the argument that they
are nourishing is tenable, for the starch,
which is their nourishing principle, is
! largely converted into charcoal in roasting.
Some of the ''cofees" (?) adulterated with
| them consisted of little else than the adul-
| terants, and contained but little coffee.
Possibly they might not do much harm il
anyone chose to buy them at from 16 to 20
cents per pound; but the chances are that
good beans, rye, etc., were not used, it be-
ing more likely that old, musty, worm-eaten
or rotten products were made use OF. Good
or spoiled, their use as an adulterant of
coffee is cheat and fraud, and ought to
be suppressed.
The sawdust was probably that of walnut,
though this was not definitely determined; it
certainly was woody fiber not derived from
chicory root. 1t added weight and bulk to
the coffee, and probably some color and taste
to the infusion.
Pebbles probably do not hurt anyone, be-
cause they are not soluble, but they are
dear at 16 cents per pound. The writer is
told that green coffee often contains a con-
siderable quantity of pebbles and other for
eign matters. which are usually removed by
the roasters, but as the consumer is not di-
rectly interested in this matter, it was not
Investigated.
Caramel is burnt sugar, and was added to
tie coffee containing it probably for the pur-
pose OF making the infusion prepared there
from look dark and strong. 1t adds to the
bitterness also, and thus gives a further
diminution of strength. Sugar in small
quantity is said to be added to coffee before
roasting by some 'roasters, who claim that
the caramel resulting improves and con-
serves the aroma Of the coffee. Be this as it
may, caramel in the four instances men-
toned was present nlarger quantities than
required even for this purpose. A portion
of it may have been developed in the roast
ing of the chicory.
A GLITTERING DELUSIoN.
Some of the samples were highly glazed
with mixture containing as its chief ingre-
dients, sugar and eggs; the latter probably
more or less in a state of decomposition.
To drink an infusion OF these semi-rotten
eggs might not be particularly harmful, be-
cause of the small quantity taken, but the
idea was not pleasant A good glaze un-
doubtedly seals up the aroma within the
grain and thus prevents loss, but the eggs
entering into its composition ought to be
good.
Fifteen of the samples were of ground, five
of whole and one of powdered coffee. Of
the Is specimens of the ground article, all
but one were adulterated. This one con-
tanned dirt and many suspicious looking
particles so burnt as to defy recognition; it
cost 20 cents, and was the best of the ready
ground eoffees, though that is little recon-
mendation. OF the five sam Piles of whole
coffee only one could be said to be adulter-
ated and this was with pebbles, beans, chic
ory and caramel. One other sample, how
ever, was dirty, containing burnt coffee
grains and what might have been the sweep
ings of coffee bin. The one sample of
powdered coffee examined was pure and
clean, of good aroma and strong; but it de-
Perforated rapidly when kept in the labora-
tory for week, even though tightly boxed
in tin. ~ SIS
Apropos of the adulteration articles that
have recently appeared in THE DISPATCH,
the New York SGnitariGn says that these |
articles show clearly "the necessity of a |
rigid chemical police by the health author |
tiles everywhere" Undoubtedly this Is the |
only efectual remedy for adulteration, and |
eventually it will come; but in the mean
lime what is the consumer going to do to
protect himself?
First, buy no ready ground coffee; get the |
article and grind it in the kitchen |
before use. In the present
'tate of the market you must not expect to
ret good coffee at retail for less than 25
tents. Your grocer will tell you the same
hing if you ask him. As rule grocers do
lot care to sell the lower priced coffees, for
hey know their poor quality, and uspect
heir spurious character.
WE LIKE TO BE HUMBUGGED.
But, as grocer told the writer, the pub
ic in general will not heed their admoni-
ions, and suspect interested motives when
he grocer advises them to buy better
,rade. Truly, the public insists on being
If the grocer had his own
Vay in the matter he would sell only first
lass goods at just prices, he would make as
nuch money as now; but the buying public
ushes to where things are offered at the
owest figures, and for this reason retailers
make a demand of the wholesalers, and they
n turn of the manufacturers, for low and still
over prices, till point is reached far be-
ow what genuine article can be furnished
or. Then, in the coffee line, comes in the
hicorV, beans and burnt sugar. This is
he history of food adulteration in q nut
hell, and, as is seen, the trouble commences
nth the public, though this of course does
Iot lessen the crime of the sophisticator.
Authorizations, usually foreign matter and
amaged or burnt coffee grains in any speci-
nen of coffee, may usually be readily de-
ected by careful inspection Of individual
rains. A good test applicable to the
round and whole article, is to spread out
ew grains on glass plate and moisten
hem with little water, when any foreign
egetable substance will swell and become
oft, while coffee remains hard and unyield-
ng to needle or knife-blade. If ground
Office coheres or cakes in the package or
yhen pressed together, it indicates with
easonable certainty that foreign vegetable
latter is present. Again, if when Thin
leful of ground coffee is placed on the sur |
ace of glass of cold water, some particles [
lmost Immediately sink to the bottom.
eaving colored streaks behind them, which
i've decided color to the water within half
our, the conclusion is certain that the
ofee is adulterated, probably with chickory.
Genuine coffee will float on the sur
ice Of cold water for considerable
me, and will be hours imparting much 1
olor to It, If you want to see this test, buy ]
pound of 16-cent, ready-ground coffee,
nd a pound of the whole article sold at IS .
,nts. Have the latter ground and perform t
lie test of each of the two kinds in separate &
Iasses. In 20 minutes or half hour the I
alter in the glass containing the low-priced !
,ticle will be markedly colored, and a Q
9rtion Consisting chiefly of chicory and {