The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-28
~ RE FOOD. .
Europe Is Wrestling Win the Problem n
Well as This Country.

Well rs This Country.
When the debate on the Pure Food bill
was opened in Congress the other day Mr.,
Gardner of Massachusetts, said there was a
great deal of humbug about the cutlery
against adulterated foods.
IF we eat adulterated foods he is re-
ported to have said we do not wish to
know it any more than We wish to know
the unhealthful conditions with which we
are sonnet ines surrounded
If Mrs Gardner were to read some Of the
reports issued by European Governments
on the discoveries made a. to food adultera-
tions he would perhaps think II wise to
know all that can possibly be learned, so
that the evil may be- abated.
How would he like to drink his morning
cocoa, improved by mutton tallow. potato
meal, the lowest grade sugar, and ochre
to give the mixture its proper color? This
is the sort Of beverage that the Swiss au-
thorities say has been served up there to
those who think their breakfast is not COM
plete without a cup Of cocoa.
Perhaps Mr.. Gardner Is partial to bottle
OF wine with his dinner. Suppose his
bottle Of wine should not contain a single
drop OF grapejuice or should be so diluted
with other liquids that the genuine article
could not be recognized and havors were
necessary to make the stun pass as wine?
1t was found while ago that a large amount
Of wine on Austrian markets was from press
ings Of the grape several times removed
from the first. the meagre and vinegary
fluid being amplifed by the juice Of poor
plums cherries and berries mixed with
water and favoring extracts.
Would potato syrup dissolved in rain
water and mixed with the refuse Of the wine
and cider press be dinner wine which Mr..
Gardner would rejoice to buy by the dozen
bottles? The desired color and bouquet
would be there: mix wine acids with cream
OF tartar and YOU can deceive thousands
whose palatcs are not particular. and there
are other ways Of making artificial wine
appear to be the genuine article.
The producto of beer is carefully con-
trolled by European authorities especially
IN Germany and Switzerland. nevertheless,
spurious beer sometimes gets on the marx et.
They have been analyzing some choice
specimens in Switzcrla land and have found
that the beverage contains not only malt,
hops and water, but also chicory, pine
sprouts, henbanc. wild cherries. poppy
nPdus, Hotd"il, WI III "a hoh aiii o'ueT ue.
lectable ingredients.
These substances help the manufacturer
TO produce beer cheaper and some of them
make it heavier and more stimulating. Per-
haps il might be well to know the brews into
which these foreign substances are intro
duced, 20 that all of Mr.. Gardner g constitu-
ents who prefer this kind of beer may dis
criminate in it's favor.
There is common prejudice in favor
Of bread tina, is pure; for bread of one kind
or another is a large at Of the food Of many
nations Bread furnishes 20 per cent. of the
nutriment of the 5000 900 inhabitants of
the Swiss Republic. Most of the Swiss
are noted for their sturdy health, and their
bread is evidently Of wholes ONE quality;
but some recent Investigations in the re-
public show that all is not bread that looks
like it.
II appears that bakers selling bread
by weight have been studying ways and
means to make it weigh more. Some
bakers soak the dough heavily with water
and by quick baking succeed in holding
much of the weight, Others mix potato
meal with the -four.
This practice does not necessarily make
unwhoesome bread, although 1t lessons
| its nutritive power But one very I'M
| wholesome kind of bread was discovered
| II was made of low-grade -four, and alum
or blue vitrol had been mixed with it tc
| improve its appearance.
The fact has been conclusively demon,
strated that natural and some chemica
fats somehow find their way easily int
| cheese watts. and that even potatoes toe
small for marketing are sometimes groune
exceedingly fine for cheesemaking. On,
of our Consuls wrote n while ago that /
all the substances which pass through tn,
coffee grinCng machines in Europe wer,
to be- arranged in alphabetical order. 4
would begin the list with acorns and y
would end IL with NORWOOD.
1t is well known. too, that it is not onl!
the leaves Of the tea plant that go into tn,
I teapot, and that sometimes tea leaves ar
very badly overworked Some Of the tel
condemned in this city by our Inspector
has been the outcome Of the clever Chimes
trick Of using old leaves of brewed te
for the export trade. II is said that som
OF the tea dealers OF Europe are now utiliz
ing the trick by preparing the leaves them
selves.
The subject of food adulteration Is
very wide one, and it is to he hoped tina
II will be Investigated here in all it's rami
fications In spite Of objections from thos
| who fear that T, searches OF this sort ina
interfere materially with many legitimat
industries