Transcriber’s notes: Italics in the original work are here represented _between underscores_, bold face text is represented =between equal signs=. Small capitals from the original work are here represented by ALL CAPITALS. More Transcriber’s Notes may be found at the end of this text. Detection of the Common Food Adulterants BY EDWIN M. BRUCE INSTRUCTOR IN CHEMISTRY, INDIANA STATE NORMAL SCHOOL LONDON ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE & CO., LTD. 10 ORANGE STREET, LEICESTER SQUARE, W.C. 1907 _Copyright, 1907_ BY D. VAN NOSTRAND CO. PREFACE Because of the recent agitation of the pure food question throughout the country, health officers, food-inspectors, and chemistry teachers and students are constantly called upon to test the purity of various foods. And this usually involves nothing more than making simple qualitative tests for adulterants. In view of the fact that there is now no text or manual devoted exclusively to the qualitative examination of foods, this little book is offered to those who are interested in this work. Its aim is to bring together in one small book the best and simplest qualitative tests for all the common food adulterants. It contains a brief statement of the adulterants likely to be found and the reason for their use. It is hoped that it will be specially valuable to chemistry teachers in furnishing excellent supplementary work in qualitative analysis. But it is hoped that it will find its greatest usefulness in contributing something toward the great pure food reform. It is impossible to make due mention of all the sources from which these various tests have been collected, but where possible, the author’s name has been associated with the test. TERRE HAUTE, IND. _March 25, 1907._ TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGE DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 =Milk=--Adulterations of--Coloring matters--Annatto--Caramel-- Coal-tar colors--Preservatives--Formaldehyde--Boric acid--Salicylic acid--Gelatin--Starch. =Butter=--Adulterations of--Coloring matter--Preparation of sample --Annatto--Coal-tar colors--Saffron--Turmeric--Marigold--Process or renovated butter--Oleomargarine--Cottonseed oil. CHAPTER II MEATS AND EGGS 8 Adulterations of--Fresh and smoked--Preservatives--Potassium nitrate--Boric acid--Sulfurous acid--Salicylic acid--Benzoic acid-- Canned--Preservatives (same as those of fresh and smoked meat)-- Heavy metals--Coloring matter (see under sausages, etc.)--Fish, salt, dried and oysters--Preservatives--Boric acid (same under smoked and fresh meat)--Coloring matter--Aniline red and cochineal- carmine--In sausages, chopped meat, preparations and corned meat-- Starch--In sausages, deviled meat and similar products--Diseased meats--Horse-flesh in sausages and in mince-meat.