Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-10-14
SOME BUTTER TESTS
METHODS sY WHICH TO DISTINGUISH
THE GENUINE ARTICLE.

i"e Use of freserShtfSes with Fresh
Meat-Culortng Matter In Many Sau-
saEes-How to Detect Boric Acid In
Meat Products
1t Is mntter OF common informa-
ton that oleomargarine is sometimes
substituted for butter and that rancid
ana badly made butter IS frequently
melted, washed with soda ana ch,rne,l
with milk for the preparation of reno
waited or process butter.
Methods are available which. with q
little practice may be employed to dis
tingulsh between fresh butter, rcuovnt.
cd or process butter aud oleonarga.
rine.
The spoon" test has been suggested
rs II household test and is commonly
used by analytical chemists for distin
gushing fresh butter from renovated
butter or oleomargarlne. A lump Ut
butter two or three times the size or IL
pea Is placed in n large spoon and
II Is then heated over an alcohol burn
er. II more convenient, the spoon may
be held above the chimney OF an ordi
nary Kerosene lamp. or il may even be
held over an ordinary illuminating gas
burner. III the sample in question br
fresh butter ii will boil quietly with
the evolution OF IL large number OF
small bubbles throughout the mass
which produce Il large amount OF foam.
Oleomargarine and process butter on
the other hand, sputter and crackle,
making noise similar to that heard
when Il green stick IL placed IN fire.
Another point of distinction is noted IL
n small portion of the sample is placed
In Il small bottle and set in Il 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
olcomargarne, the fat will be turbid.
while If genuine, fresh butter the fut
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 Il
wide mouthed bottle, which Is set In
vessel OF boiling water. When tho
milk Is thoroughly heated Il teaspoon
full OF butter is added and the mix
ture stirred with IL splinter OF wood
until the fat is melted. The bottle Is
then placed In dish OF Ice water and
the stirring continued until the fat
solidliies. Now, IL the sample be but
ter. either fresh or renovated, 1t will
he solidihed in n granular condition
and distributed through the milk In
small particles. If, on the other hand,
The sample consists Of oleomnrgariue
II solldiies 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 OH the
INA rket Is preserved chemically. This
Impression Is entirely unfounded. Ihe
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
cut of meat in order that they may
keep 1t exposed OIL the block or hang
Ing In Il show window MS an ndver-
tsement. The use of chemical pre-
servntives with fresh meat IL confined
to this practice alone.
Prtservatives are very commonly
used with chopped meats and sausages,
especially fresh sausage. They are al.
ways employed with canned Vienna
and Frankfurter snusages lncIoscd in
castings with the ends tied. Where the
ends are cut personalities may be ab.
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. colorlng
matter9is sometimes employed This is
done partly for the purpose OF satisfy
ing an unnatural demand for Il high
colored article and partly sometimes to
conceal the grayish color characteristic
Of old meat, which should not be used
ut ull.
The preservatlves employed with
meut products are boric acid bornX
and supplies. 10 detect boric acid
about IL tablespoonful OF the chopped
meat is thoroughly macerated with
little water. pressed through n bag and
two or three tablespoonfuls OF the
liquid placed in II sauce dish with tif-
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 1t and dried near Il lamp or
stove. II boric acid or borax were used
for preserving the sample the tumeric
paper should be changed to bright
cherry red color. II too much hydro
chlorlc acid has been employed dirty
brownlsh red color Is obtained, which
interferes with the color due to the
presence of boric acid. Now. If IL drop