The pernicious ingredients, alum and spirits of vitriol, used by bakers in the manufacture of bread, are intended, in the cant phrase of the trade, “as binders and whiteners.” Few persons will credit the fact that this last-mentioned article is made use of in the manufacture of bread; but, if any person feels himself aggrieved by the assertion, I am prepared to verify my information, and point out the culprits. By the insertion of these ingredients, tens of thousands of children, under three years of age, are annually consigned to the grave in this “happy” country; and to their cause, in conjunction with the horrid articles before stated, are to be assigned the number of sudden deaths that are daily occurring, and a large portion of the diseases under which mankind are suffering.
The presence of alum may be detected by immersing a small piece of the crumb of new baked bread in a quantity of cold water sufficient to dissolve it; when, if a pernicious quantity of alum be present in the composition the water will acquire a sweet astringency to the taste; the more astringent of course the greater has been the quantity of alum used. Or a heated knife may be thrust into a loaf before it has grown cold; if the bread be free from alum, scarcely any alteration will be visible on the blade; but, should alum have been made use of, as soon as the knife cools, a slight aluminous incrustation will appear upon it. But this last method is, as Mr. Accum properly observes, but an equivocal test, on account of the impurity of the common salt used in making bread. When spirits of vitriol, diluted with water, have been used, the only test to detect this most pernicious and unprincipled adulteration is by chemically analysing the suspected article.
But the adulteration-trade observing that the insertion of the “horrid array” of pernicious articles, which their diabolical ingenuity substituted in the stead of wholesome meal or flour, had an astringent effect on the human constitution, and, fearing the consequences of a detection, have lately had recourse to the introduction of jalap into their sponge, in order to give their mischievous composition a laxative or purgative effect on the constitution of their deluded customers. The best test of the insertion of this drug is its effects. Others counteract the constipating effects of the alum by the addition of subcarbonate of potash, which neutralizes the excess of the sulphuric acid of the alum, and promotes the disengagement of the carbonic acid gas, whereby the particles of the flour are more minutely divided, and the bread rendered lighter.
Having stated the ready methods of ascertaining the good or bad qualities of bread, it is a necessary consequence that I should not be silent about those of flour.
The following are the usual tests for ascertaining the quality of flour. Grasp a handful briskly, and squeeze it for half a minute; if pure and unadulterated, it preserves the form of the cavity of the hand in one piece when placed upon the table, although it may be roughly set down. Adulterated flour, on the contrary, soon falls down. That mixed with whiting, white clay, or the like materials, is the most adhesive, though it soon gives way; but if the adulteration be ground bones, gypsum, or plaster of paris, it almost immediately falls. Where there is the presence of much bran, the grasped specimen will soon crumble, and this fraud may, also, be discovered by the colour and feel. It may also be observed that genuine flour will retain the impression of even the grains of the skin longer than that which is adulterated, the latter soon throwing off the fine marks. Also, let a person, having a moist hand, rub flour briskly between the palms of both hands; if there be whiting in it, he will find resistance; but none, if the flour is pure. Or, partially dip the fore-finger and thumb into a little sweet oil, and take up a small quantity of the flour between them; if it is pure it may be rubbed for any length of time, and will not become sticky or adhesive, and the substance will turn nearly black; but if whiting is present, it will soon be worked up into the consistence of putty, and its colour but little altered. Lemon juice, or vinegar, dropped upon flour, will also show the presence of whiting or plaster of paris; if the flour is pure it will remain at rest; but if it is adulterated an immediate commotion takes place. Where there is time to try the unsoundness of flour, put a table-spoonful into a basin and mix it with cold water, until it is of the consistence of batter pudding; then set a small pan upon the fire containing half a gill of water, and when the water is hot, pour in the batter just before it boils, and let it boil for about the space of three minutes. If sound, the flour will unite like a good pudding does; if unsound it breaks, curdles, and appears somewhat watery. By observing it while it is warm, some judgement may be formed of its different degrees of unsoundness. The usual test of people in the flour-trade is to knead a small quantity of the article; if good, an adhesive, ductile, and elastic paste is immediately formed, which may be elongated and drawn in every direction, without being entirely separated. The only ready test for the detection of sharp whites and stuff is by the taste.
When the farina of potatoes, or, as it is commonly termed, potatoe-starch, is mixed with flour, the fraud may, according to M. Chevalier, a French chemist, be discovered by sprinkling a little of the suspected article on black paper, when through a powerful lens, or microscope, the farina or starch may be discovered by the brilliancy of its particles.
To ascertain the presence of insects in flour, examine it in a good light, and if your suspicion be correct, you will observe the whole surface in motion, and on a nicer inspection there will be found in it a great number of little animals of the colour of flour, and of an oblong and a slender form. When they have once taken possession of a parcel of this commodity, it is impossible to drive them out; and they increase so fast, that the only method of preventing the total loss of the whole parcel, is to make it into bread as soon as possible. The only known way of preventing those insects from breeding in flour is to preserve it from damp; to effect which it should be always carefully and thoroughly dried before it is put up, and the barrels, also, should be carefully dried before the flour is stored in them, and placed in a room tolerably warm and dry.
SECTION II.
Meat and Fish.
The Butcher has his arts and sophistications. To make meat weigh as heavy as possible he checks the full bleeding of the victim of his knife, and to make it appear plump and white and glistening, particularly joints of veal and lamb, he inflates the cellular membrane, by blowing into it with all his might, the breath respired from his lungs: by means of which practice, should he be infected with any loathsome disease, his customers stand a very good chance of being inoculated with “the blessing.” The distension of the cellular membrane is the sign of meat having received the benefit of this operation.