Food Adulteration and Its Detection: With photomicrographic plates and a bibliographical appendixBattershall, Jesse P. (Jesse Park)
Science
Food Adulteration and Its Detection: With photomicrographic plates and a bibliographical appendix
Battershall, Jesse P. (Jesse Park)
Food adulteration and inspection; Food adulteration and inspection -- United States
-------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
| | |Cane and | |
Brand. | Water. | Fat. | Milk |Caseine. | Salts.
| | | Sugar. | |
-------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
|per cent.|per cent.|per cent.|per cent.|per cent.
American | 52·07 | 15·06 | 16·97 | 14·26 | 2·80
New York | 56·71 | 14·13 | 13·98 | 13·18 | 2·00
Granulated Milk Co.| 55·43 | 13·16 | 14·84 | 14·04 | 2·53
Eagle | 56·01 | 14·02 | 14·06 | 13·90 | 2·01
-------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
ANALYSIS.
The principal adulterations of milk (watering and skimming), are
detected by taking its specific gravity, and making quantitative
determinations of the total milk solids, the fat, and the milk solids
not fat. Of these criteria, the last-mentioned is the most constant and
reliable.
_Physical Examination._
_a. Specific Gravity._--The instrument employed by the New York health
inspectors for testing milk is a variety of the hydrometer, termed
the lactometer, and its use, which is based upon the fact that under
ordinary conditions watered milk possesses a decreased density, is
certainly of great value as a preliminary test. The Board of Health
lactometer indicates specific gravities between 1·000 (the density of
water) and 1·0348. On its scale 100° represents the specific gravity of
1·029 (taken as the minimum density of genuine milk), and 0 represents
the density of water; the graduations are extended to 120°, equivalent
to a specific gravity of 1·0348. In taking an observation with the
lactometer, the standard temperature of 15° should be obtained,
_and the colour and consistency of the milk noted_. If these latter
properties indicate a dilution of the sample, and the instrument sinks
below the 100° mark, it is safe to assume that the milk has been
watered. The scale is so constructed that the extent of the dilution
is directly shown by the reading, _e. g._ if the lactometer sinks to
70° the sample contains 70 per cent. of pure milk and 30 per cent.
of water. As the standard of specific gravity (1·029) selected for
the 100° mark of the lactometer is the _minimum_ density of unwatered
milk, it is evident that the readings of the instrument will almost
invariably indicate an addition of water less than has actually taken
place. It would therefore appear that, under normal circumstances,
the standard adopted by the New York Board of Health errs on the side
of too much leniency toward the milk dealer. Cream being lighter than
water, a sample of skimmed milk will possess a greater specific gravity
than the pure article, and it is possible to add from 10 to 20 per
cent. of water to it and still have the resulting admixture stand at
100° when tested by the lactometer.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account