Food Adulteration and Its Detection / With photomicrographic plates and a bibliographical appendix

by Jesse P. Battershall

	Must.	Natural Wine.	Gall’s Process, (Cane Sugar added).	Gall’s Process, (Grape Sugar used).	Chaptal’s Process (Calcium Carbonate added).	Plastered.	Petiot’s Process (Cane Sugar added to grape husks).
	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.
Alcohol	..	6·60	12·20	9·10	6·60	6·70	10·40
Extract	17·87	2·53	2·11	5·91	2·19	2·80	1·98
Ash	0·33	0·26	0·10	0·17	0·28	0·29	0·16
Sulphuric acid	0·010	0·006	0·002	0·010	0·006	0·077	0·002
Phosphoric acid	0·031	0·024	0·020	0·021	0·023	0·025	0·017
Lime	0·012	0·009	0·007	0·018	0·027	0·039	0·006
Magnesia	0·012	0·011	0·012	0·009	0·012	0·012	0·008
Free acid (as tartaric)	1·365	1·275	0·765	0·802	0·660	1·297	0·488
Total tartaric acid	0·501	0·342	0·120	0·140	0·014	0·260	0·150
Free tartaric acid	0·188	0·012	..	..	..	0·160	..
Malic acid	0·720	0·715	0·400	0·388	0·710	0·716	0·165
Succinic acid	..	0·110	0·140	0·114	0·112	0·101	0·127
Glycerine	..	0·650	1·150	0·800	0·600	0·700	0·900
Sugar	13·90	0·210	0·180	0·340	0·200	0·180	0·300
Potassa	0·156	0·117	0·051	0·081	0·134	0·127	0·093

Magnier de la Source[92] has recently made some investigations concerning the difference in chemical composition of natural and plastered wine; he gives the following constituents of 1 litre of wine:—

	Natural.	Plastered.
	gr.	gr.
Tartar	1·94	0
Sulphuric acid	2·58	3·10
Potassium	1·12	2·46
Calcium (in soluble portion of ash)	0	0·037
Calcium (in insoluble portion of ash)	0·179	0·151

Adulteration of Wine.—Although there may be some question in regard to the moral status of the foregoing methods of improvement of natural wine, numerous other practices are resorted to concerning which no doubt can exist. The more common forms of wine adulteration include plastering, sulphuring, fortification, blending, flavouring, colouring, and the manufacture of fictitious imitations.

The “plastering” of wines consists in the addition of plaster of Paris (often mixed with lime), either to the unpressed grapes or to the must. The process, which is rather hypothetically claimed to aid in the preservation of the wine and correct any excessive acidity, is very objectionable, in that it determines the formation of free sulphuric acid and acid sulphates, as well as of calcium tartrate and potassium sulphate. The lime salt, being insoluble, is deposited with the lees; the potassium sulphate, however, remains in solution, and as it exerts a decided purgative effect, its presence in wine cannot fail to be detrimental. In France, the sale of wine containing over 0·2 per cent. of potassium sulphate is prohibited. The plastering of wine is chiefly carried on in Spain, Portugal, and southern France. The ash of pure wine does not exceed 0·3 per cent., but in the samples of sherry usually met with it reaches a proportion of 0·5 per cent., and is almost entirely composed of sulphates. The “sulphuring” of wines is also extensively practised. It is effected either by burning sulphur in the casks or by conducting sulphurous acid through the wine itself, the object sought being to preserve the product and impart to it the ripeness naturally acquired by age. Sulphured wines, while not necessarily showing an increase in the amount of ash, can often be recognised by the abnormally large proportion of sulphates present.

The strength and preservative qualities of wine are frequently augmented by the addition to it of inferior sorts of brandy. Port wine usually receives an addition of about 30 per cent., and sherry is invariably fortified, if not to so great an extent. By the Customs regulations in England, 10 per cent. of brandy is allowed to be added to wines in bond, while, in France, the sophistication is equally permitted in wines intended for export, provided the total amount of alcohol in the fortified article does not exceed 21 per cent.

Doubtless the mixing or blending of wines constitutes the most frequent form of their sophistication. Natural wines of the same manufacture vary to some extent from year to year in colour, flavour, and other characteristic properties, and mixing is resorted to in order to supply the trade with a product always possessing nearly identical qualities. In many cases, the flavour of wines is improved by blending, and their intoxicating effects are also increased, both results being due to the formation of compound ethers. Common instances of wine mixing are the addition of Hermitage and Rousillon wines to clarets; of Malaga and Teneriffe to port; of solaras (a mixture of Amontillado and Manzanilla) to sherry; and of a liqueur composed of sugar, some kind of full, rich wine, and brandy, to champagne. The flavour and bouquet of expensive wines are frequently imparted to inferior grades by the addition of various substances, among which are elderflowers, orris root, cherry water, essential oil of almonds, sweet briar, and numerous perfumes, such as orange-flower water, neroli, essence de petit grain, violet petals, etc. The tincture of raisin seeds is said to communicate a genuine port flavour to poor wines, and a grain of ambergris, triturated with a little sugar, is stated to impart a much esteemed bouquet to a hogshead of claret. Numerous tinctures, as those of strawberry root, raspberries, and walnuts, are likewise used. Sweet and liqueur wines are extensively imitated at Cette and Montpelier. The following recipes[93] will serve to illustrate the general character of the mixtures employed:—

For Lachryma Christi:—
	Bagnols (dry)	85	litres.
	Gum kino	50	grammes.
	Infusion of walnuts	1	litre.
	Syrup of raisins	6	litres.
	Alcohol (85°)	8	„
For Madeira:—
	Picardan (dry)	60	litres.
	Tavel (old and strong)	25	„
	Infusion of walnuts	2	„
	Infusion of bitter almonds	2	„
	Rock candy	1½	kilos.
	Brandy (58°)	10	litres.
For Malaga:—
	Bagnols (old)	80	litres.
	Syrup of raisins	10	„
	Infusion of walnuts	2	„
	Alcohol (85°)	8	„
For Tokay:—
	Bagnols	80	litres.
	Syrup of raisins	10	„
	Dried elder flowers	300	grammes.
	Infusion of white raspberries	2	kilos.
	„ „ walnuts	1	kilo.
	Alcohol	6	litres.

Port is frequently flavoured with a mixture of elderberry juice, grape juice, brown sugar, and crude brandy known as “Jerupiga.” Sherry often consists of Cape wine mixed with honey, bitter almonds, and brandy. Astringency is conveyed to wines, deficient in this quality, by means of tannin; and the property of forming a crust on the interior of the bottle is produced, especially in port, by the admixture of cream of tartar and gum. “Dryness” is also obtained by artificial methods. A preparation met with in the trade, and used for this purpose, has the following composition:[94]—

	Per cent.
Glucose	28·72
Glycerine	38·40
Tannin	4·10
Dextrine	3·14
Boracic acid	4·27
Cream of tartar	trace
Moisture and ash	21·37
	100·00