New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-07
COFFEE IN MANY DISCUSSES.
ADULTERATION AND MANIPULATION TO
WHICH 1T is SUBJECTED.

SUBSTITUTION OF CHEAP FOR COSTLY GRADES
AND TREATMENT BY DIFFERENT CHEMI-
GALS METHODS OF DETECTION.
Now that the artificial coloring Of the coffee bean
has attracted the attention OF the courts II Is inter-
esting to note the various forms OF manipulation
ahd sophsticaton habitual with the coffee-dealers
From the time Of picking and preparing for market
until It finally reaches the table OF the consumer,
there is probably article OF diet subjected to as
many forms OF manipulation. substitution and adul-
teration as coffee. The producer mikes one variety
with another, the old and inferior with the new and
choice: the commission agent at the shipping ports
manlpulates 1t again by changing the grade. or al
tering the quality by running one grade with an
other in order to complete mis- consignment. Again.
It's arrival in the consuming countries. Il is fire.
quently emptied out OF the original packages, sepa-
rated or run together required. the bags turned
Inside out and the marks altered In order to
ceal any stained or damaged In transit All the
damaged coffee Is picked over. the musty beans
mled cleaned, rematted or rebagged. and eventu-
ally sold as sound. but process OF roasting
glazing can restore their original value
Light Rio coffees converted into dark by the
application Of preparation OF "boneback" changed
TO yellow golden by the use OF chromate Of lead.
and into green by combination Of both
pounds This practice Is resorted 70 in order to
cater 10 the prejudlces of dealers and consumers
In various parts Of the country for dark" green
and golden" Rios. as the case may be. The cos
metlc is best detected by the simple process OF
washing In n little warm water and rubbing with
dry towel. thus exposing the natural color OF the
bean. or BIZ cutting the bean in half and seeing II
the color runs through.
HOW JAVA COFFEE HAS TO SUFFER.
Java coffces generally either substituted.
mixed. swcated coored artlhclay. In the first
case any large wh,ish. yellowisb or brownish va
riety. such Maracabo. Savanilla and Santos is
used for the purpose, and be detected only by
a familiar knowledge OF the genuine bean. The
paler commoner grades OF Java usually coored
sweated for the purpose OF impartlng an aged
appearance or the so-much-desired brown color.
Other sponey bean coffe.s. that absorb easily and
would readily retain the coloring matter. are fire.
auently subjected to the processes. The
higher grades OF Java often substituted one
for the other by changing the mats. replacing a
rreanger with Tinour. Ankola with Padang or
Singapore. II the suspected bean is cut open with
a pochetknfe and Ia not the color to the
core IT IL undoubtedly doctored.
Another method OF detection when the Java
is suspected OF being mixed with light bean
coffee. ia TO put n sample Of the beans in a vessel
Of water The solid-bean Java will sink to tho
bottom and the light substitute float the sur
face. Javas are Drowned by placing any light
coored variety. such Lahat Macassar or
Jamaica in zinc or ronned room or case sur
rounded all sides by pipes through which steam
passes. The intense heat causes tho small guam
uty Of volatile oil this class OF coffee contains
to exude and impart n dark. muddy-red color 70
the beans This sophstication is best detected
by the unnatural repusively reddish color Of the
beans by their light weight and unsghtly appear
ance in the hand. well as by the almost sicken-
lng favor produced by the volatile oil and zinc. evil
IDENTIFY highly prejudical to the health Of the con-
sumner.
TAMPERING WITH THE SCARCE MOCHA
Probably there is no single variety OF coffee
grown moro generally counterfoited or aiulterated
than Mocha in the raw. unroasted state. owing
- It's limited supply and high commercial value
At tho ports o, export II Is mixed with tho small
bean Wynaai. Malabar. Ceylon. Bourbon and other
African varieties. annually shipped to Alden for tho
spec hc purpose Of conversion into Mocha and this
practice is common that 1t Is difficult TO deter
mine what is true Mocha and what is not The
substitutes first separated from the regular
crops and then carefully picked over and assorted
by hand. the better 10 adapt them to their re-
specive markets They are then packed in the
unique and peculiar packages which distinguish the
true article from all others. At time 1t
considered next 10 impossible to tamper with
or initiate these packages without detection. COM
posed they OF coarse vegetable ma teral,
and sewci with n fbrous substance that becomes
extremely hard and tough with Modern In
gcnuity however. has found way 10 do so. first by
a process known to the initiated as stove piping"
By which portion Of the genuine coffee Is run out
OF the original package by means Of an iron tube
resembling "coYeetry inserted at one end OF
the bale. and spurious grade OF coffee OF some
small-bcan variety poured In its place and the
puncture closed up
Another ingenious method Is to soften the hbrous
cord OF which the withes are made. and with
which the bales are sewn. by process known
mir "a a
the bales opened entire. and the contents sub
situted by the Introduction OF one or the other
OF the inferior coffees already alluded 10.
small bean Rios being used when the Santos. Mara
calbo or Guatemala are high priced or difficult TO
procure These glarlng forms Of substitution in
Mocha coffee may be detected by comparison OF
the mixture with a sample OF the genuine bean.
The bean Of the genuine Mocha Is round. small.
uniform and symmetrical varying in color from
rich olive-g cast almost translucent when new.
and a bright yeowish hue when DID, being at the
same time very clean and attractive In the hand.
The adulterants used are much larger, more irregu
lar and varying In size. style. form and color. from
dark or grass-grecn. 10 a pale white, according TO
the age and nature Of the coffee used.
COFFEE BEANS WITHOUT COFFEE.
Coffee beans from which the oil OF coffee and
caffeine have been extracted for medicinal purposes.
or the manufacture OF some coffee extract. are re-
dried and disposed of to roasters and unscrupulous
dealers as sound coffee. These coffee beans look
quite natural but on close inspection are found 10
be tough and light on infusion they yield watery
and favorless liquid. Recently a patent has been
obtained for the purpose of mparting to coffee
beans by n summary operation. the properties and
possessed by coffee which has been
stored and kept for long period OF time under
favorable conditions. The process OF aging the cof-
fee consists In spreading out the raw beans in
thin layer between alternate layers OF damp bags
or other textile material. The bags sprinked
with water and piled on top OF the other until
all are uniformly mostencd One Of these damp
bags 10 spread out and dry bag laid upon II, upon
which is placed layer OF green coffee; another dry
bag is placed over the coffee and damp one laid
above IT, the alternate layers being continued
any desired height. The pile Of bags and coffee is
tho, comnressed and the beans kept In their con-