The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-05-17
1T H E TIMES DAILY AGAZINE PA G
.....as- .-.---.-Y--.
Home Tests For
Adulteration
BY IsoBEL BRANDS.
- NE Of the most popular booths
IN pure food show con-
II Quoted In O. small town was

~ NE Of the most popular booths
IN a pure food show con-
NJ Quoted In q, small town was
that In which various products
bought locally were tested TO determine
their freedom from adulterants OF any
kind.
There are so many easy tests that
can be made by any housewife which
will make her certain of the purity Of
the products she buys that It In not
necessary just to guess" that the but
ter or extracts. candies or milk are
pure.
One Of the tests at this particular ex-
hibit was highly attractive TO Children
Ior whose special benefit 1t was intend
a young girl who assisted In the ex-
hibit removed from some OF the ioliy-
pop candles enough coloring matters
OF various hues to dye beautifully q
No lesson could have been made more
concrete to the Riddles, and no requests
OF pleas to refrain from buying the
yw so.,n .colored sweets are SO eff
tion, perhaps by the child herself under
mothers direction.
To find out whether artificial .coloring
Is used In candy all that is necessary Is
TO boil the candy until Il Is dissolved.
Some wooden cloth or yarn In boiled
with water containing q little soda SO
as to remove any possible fat. This wool
is then placed In the liquid containing
the dissolved candy and boiled for about
five or ten minutes. stirring meanwhile.
Then II Is taken out and washed in
hot water. and II the wool remains coll
ored distinctly. then the candy SO ex-
amined Is artificially colored, either
win coal tar dyes or some artificially
prepared vegetable color.
IL II is coal tar dye the applicat ion
OF little ammonia will turn the fabric
OF course, IL the wool has some dull
or indistinct thinge. II may be due to
some natural fruit Juice, but where the
test Is applied TO a candy definitely and
distinctly blue or rid or any other color.
FABRIC assuming the similar distinct
color, IT Is proof that the candy is
artificially colored. and dangerous in
proportion.
Another simple test that will help the
housewife is the test for oleomargarine
sold as butter.
It is necessary only to melt a little,
perhaps, In a large spoon, stirring It
with little bit of wood. Butter boils
quietly and with great deal Of foam:
oleomargarine or ''reworked" butter
boils with considerable noise and with
or course. the fact that It Is oleo-
margarine does not make the product
objectionable, as good oleomargaine ID
wholesome and desirable as food
product. But the Objectionable feature
Is paying for butter when you are get
ting only oleomargarine!
An adulteration that Is expensive to
the housewife Ia the use of starch as a
miller" in cloves, mustard. cayenne and
other spices. This, too Is not a harm
full adulteration to the body. but to the
pocketbook! 1t can be detected in this
wise:
A Tablespoonful OF the spice is
stirred into a half-cupful Of boiling
water and boiled for two or three
minutes and then cooled.
II of dark color. enough water must
be added to reduce the color consider
ably In order thatthe starch. of present
may be clearly apparent.
Then one drop of tincture OF iodine ID
added. II starch Is present a deep blue
color will show. and II there is a large
amount of starch the color Will be al
most black.
(Copy't, 1915. Newspaper Feature Syndicate