The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1905-07-28
BUTTER TESTS
METHODS BY WHICH TO DISTINGUISH
THE GENUINE ARTICLE.

METHODS BY WHICH TO DISTINGUISH
THE GENUINE ARTICLE.
The Use of Preservatives With Fresh
Manufacturing Matter In Many Sau-
saEes-How to Detect Boric Acid In
Meat Products.
1t is a matter Of COMMON informa-
ton that oleomargarine Is sometimes
substituted for butter, and that rancid
and badly made butter is frequently
melted, washed with soda and churned
with milk for the preparation Of reno
waited or process butter.
Methods are available which, with a
little practice, may be employed to dis
tinguish between fresh butter. renovat-
ed Or process butter and o.eomarga-
rine.
The spoon test has beer suggested
as a household test and is commonly
used by analytical chemists for distin-
gushing fresh butter from renovated
butter or ol%eomargarinc. A lump of
butter two or three times the size of a
pea is placed in a large spoon and
it is then heated over AN alcohol burn
er. If more convenient, the spoon may
be held above the chimney OF an ordi-
nary kerosene lamp, or it may even be
held over an ordinary Illuminating gas
burner. If the sample in question be
fresh butter it will boil quietly with
the evolution of a large number of
small bubbles throughout the mass
which produce a large amount Of foam.
Oleomargarine and process butter, on
the other hand, sputter and crackle,
making a noise similar to that heard
when a green stick is placed in a fire.
Another point Of distinction is noted if
a small portion of the sample is placed
in a small bottle and set in a vessel of
water sufficiently warm to melt the
sample. The sample is kept melted
from half an hour to an hour, when it
is examined. If renovated butter or
o~leomargarine, the fat will be turbid,
while if genuine, fresh butter the fat
will almost certainly be entirely clear.
To manipulate what is known as the
Warehouse, or milk, test about two
ounces of sweet milk is placed in a
W1uC AlOutuCu OOllIC, WHICH, 40 Z AL
a vessel of boiling water. When the
milk is thoroughly heated a teaspoon
full of butter is. added and the mix
ture stirred with a splinter of wood
until the fat is melted. The bottle is
then placed in a dish Of ice water and
the stirring continued until the fat
solidifies. Now, if the sample be but
ter, either fresh or renovated, it will
be solicited in a granular condition
and distributed through the milk in
small particles. If, on the other hand,
| the sample consists Of oleomargarine
it solidifies practically in one piece and
may be lifted by the stirrer from the
milk.
Many persons believe that the great
mass Of the fresh meat sold on the
market is preserved chemically. This
impression is entirely %unfounded. The
cold storage facilities Of the present
day make the use of preservatives
with fresh meat unnecessary, and the
larger packing houses do not employ
them. 1t sometimes happens that local
butchers sprinkle preservatives over
a cut of meat in order that they may
keep it exposed on the block or hang
ing in a show window as an adver-
tisement. The use of chemical pre-
servatives with fresh meat is confined
to this practice alone.
Personalities are very commonly
used with chopped meats and sausages,
especially fresh sausage. They are al
ways employed with canned Vienna
| and F%rankfurter sausages inclosed in
castings with the ends tied. Where the
ends are cut preservatives may be alb
sent. The reason for this is that the
temperature required for the complete
sterilization of sausages will either
burst or distort the skins when the
ends are tied, whereas sausages with
cut ends afford an opportunity for the
| escape Of the water and steam.
With many varieties Of sausages.
both fresh and smoked, and with chop
ped meats of all descriptions, coloring
matter is sometimes employed. This Is
done partly for the purpose Of satisfy
ing an unnatural demand for a high
colored article and partly sometimes to
conceal the grayish color characteristic
of old meat, which should not be used
at all.
The p~reservatives employed with
meat products are boric acid, boraS
and supplies. To detect boric acid
about a tablespoonful Of the chopped
meat is thoroughly macerated with a
/, little water, pressed through a bag and
two or three tablespoonfuls Of the
| LIQUID placed in a sauce dish with If
teen or twenty drops Of strong hydro
chloric acid for each tablespoonful. The
LIQUID is then filtered through filter pa
per and a piece of tumeric paper dip
ped into it and dried near a lamp or
stove. If boric acid or borax were used
for preserving the sample the tumertc
paper should be changed to a bright
cherry red color. If too much hydro
! chloric acid has been employed aAdirty
brownish red color is obtained, which
interferes with the color due to the
presence Of boric acid. Now, If a drop
Of household ammonia be added to the
colored tumeric paper and it turns a
dark green, almost black color, then
boric acid is present. If the reddish
color, however, was caused by the use
Of too much hydrochloric acid, this
groom color does NOT form.