The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-02-12

amount which each consumer spends
tor these articles is so small that the
extOrtion per capita is not alarming;
but viewed from the manufacturers
standpoint the aggregate is no mean
sum-
Certain articles of food often have
added TO them a proportion of starch
which is known as filling" This is
the case with baking powders and
many brands of cocoa. The manufac-
turers claim that this starch is neces-
sary TO preserve the article in good
condition; and while this may be true
IN some cases there is no question that
IN many cases the addition of filling"
is carried TO the extent of fraud.
The Vinegar Fraud.
There are great many popular mis-
conceptions regarding the adulteration
OF vinegar. Vinegar is simply a weak
solution OF acetic acid containing a
small amount of flavoring and extract
I've matter derived from the article
from which the vinegar was made. ci-
DER, malt wine, ETC., as the case NAV
De. Inc addition of water to vinegar
Is very common, but, unlike adulter-
at1d milk, the price is generally in pro-
portion to the amount of water added
A cheap vinegar is made from corn
spirits. This is often sold as wine
vinegar, or colOred and sold as cider
vinegar. AS it is nothing but acetic
acid and water, and possesses none of
the naVor or aroma of these articles.
It's sale IN this way is certainly a
fraud
Various Other Articles.
In the second class of fraudulent
authorizations, oleomargarine holds
first place. In 1898 there were import
ed into Hawaii 96,71O pounds of oleo-
margarine, valued at s12,O41.54. or 12.4
cents per pound This article retaiIs
at from 10 to 35 cents per pound, and.
while large amount of it reaches the
consumer on the tables of restaurants
or plantation boarding houses, some of
IL is sold IN stores as butter, generally
as cooking butter.
Jellies and jams come next. Large
quantities of apple jelly are made from
cores, Feelings and other refuse: and
this jelly, when colored and favored,
is put on the market as currant, straw
berry, ETC., according to the flavor
used. Goods of this kind come for the
most part, from California.
The fiavoring syrups used in soda
water, etc., even when the vendors adj
vertise Fresh Crushed fruits are al
most without exception artificial, both
in color and flavor. Granting that
these syrups are harmless, and have
the flavor called for; the fact that they
cost but fraction of the price of the
genuine article entities them to be
classed as frauds.
These are briefly some of the most
common fraudulent food authorizations
found in Honolulu
The Dealers Plea.
Dealers in these articles are almost
unanimous in excusing themselves I'M
der the plea that a certain class of
customers demands cheap goods.
While the existence of this demand
cannot be denied, the real reason for
the large amount of adulteration is
the competition between dealers.
Whatever may be said against trusts
from the social or political point of
view one thing is certain, that, in food
manufacture, Capitalization tends to
produce a better article at less cost.
For instance there is no article of food
which can buy with more certainty of
its being of uniform quality and free
from adulteration than granulated
sugar.
In regard to food adulteration gem
orally, consumers often fail to distin-
guish between adulteration and poor
quality. This is particularly the case
with butter. Butter, owing to faulty
manufacture or poor storage, may be
wholly unpalatable and still be pure
butter; that is, made wholly from
cream. Another point often overlook
ed is that good articles are often spoil
ed IN preparation and then condemned
as adulterated. Coffee suffers much
in this way for, if it escapes spelling
IN the roasting, it is often only by
chance that it comes from the coffee pot
fit to drink.