Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-08
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen Tables
Refrigerators
Bullets
China Closets
Dining Chairs
Extension Tables
High Chairs
Serving Tables
ParlOr Tables
Government Detectives
of Food Adulteration

TT is an interesting, not to say some
what startling, collection that is be.
ing made by b. J. Howard Of the
bureau Of chemistry Of the Department
Of Agriculture. Mr.. Howard is chief Of
the microchemical laboratory Of the de.
partment, and his collection consists Of
striking specimens OF food adulteration
The collection is being added to continu.
ally. for the wiles Of the food adulteratol
would appear to. be unlimited, and his
methods are sometimes fanciful and gro.
tesque.
For example, one Of the most remark.
able specimens is an artificial slice Of
lemon, or rather, a microscopical prepare
ton of such. The apparent lemon slice
from which this specimen was taken, re-
sembled, to average observation, the rea
thing, and 1t was not until high power
microscope was brought to bear upon i
that it was seen that there was plainly
to be detected in the spurious fruit tn,
presence Of minute sea-shells. In short
the substance used in this instance to de
fraud the public. and to introduce into tn,
interior of the consumer matters To-
which he never bargained. was agar-agar
which Is q product made from certain
seaweeds, and which usually contains, a.
the scientist explains, the siliceous shell!
of diatoms, or minute marine forms o.
life. These extremely tiny shells ART
beautiful in form when seen under tht
not advisable that they be introduced int
the human system.
* X
To detect such a food fraud as this 9
powerful microscope is necessary. "Ye'
1t can be readily understood" says Mr.
Howard, how gross adulteration may bt
detected by q simple magnifier, as. for
instance, when foreign seeds. gravel, OF
powdered rock have been mixed with
whole small spices. The false mixture
may he of such character as easily to
escape the notice Of the ordinary buyer
though with even q small lens or reading
glass the foreign substance may be seen
to be very different from the true spice
One case recently brought to the attention
of celery seed adulterated with nearly
40 per cent of powdered rock, the color
and size Of the rock particles being scuh
as to be easily overlooked in casual
examination. A small magnifer. how.
ever. made the difference very apparent
clearly showing the contrast between the
regular shaped celery seeds and the angu-
lar rock particles.
Interesting not only to the specialists.
but to the housewife as well, are Mr..
Towards specimens representing the diff
ferences between various food products
which appear the same to the eye and
which are often substituted one for the
other as well as adulterated with queer
foreign substances. Thus, it is explained
that spices are among the articles Of
popular consumption most frequently
mixed with extraneous matters. And al
though pepper adulterated with ground
peas or beans may not always be detect
ed by chemical means. especially when
added to counterfeit the excess OF starch
present in peas, peep in the powerful
microscope will reveal such adulteration
at once by showing the presence Of the