Cheese.—Skim-milk cheese often contains lard, put in to replace the butter which has been removed. This adulteration improves the quality of the cheese and often can not be detected by experts. One sample of cheese, which had caused sickness in those who ate it, was examined, and, although it also made the analyst ill, no known poisonous substance could be detected in it. (G. C. Caldwell, Ph. D.) All yellow cheese is colored with annotto, which can therefore hardly be considered an adulteration. The rind is sometimes washed with a mercurial or arsenical solution, to protect it from insects, and should therefore never be eaten.
Cocoa and chocolate.—Six samples. None adulterated. (Lattimore.)
Coffee.—Thirty-five samples of unroasted, three of roasted unground, twenty-one of ground, three of coffee extract. Of the thirty-five unroasted, in five a few grains were found which had been slightly colored or faced, apparently with Prussian blue; the three roasted unground were pure; of the twenty-one ground, nineteen contained chiccory, beans, wheat, rye, etc. One sample consisted entirely of roasted hominy. Three samples of coffee extract consisted chiefly of caramel and licorice, and contained no coffee. (Lattimore.) Pure coffee swims in water, and colors it slowly. Chiccory sinks and colors water rapidly. Peas sink and color water slowly. Rye sinks more rapidly than coffee, and colors water more quickly. Ground coffee is hard and crumbles between the teeth; chiccory is soft and does not crumble.
Gin.—No injurious adulterations detected. Twenty-five samples. (Engelhardt.)
Honey.—Three samples: two pure. One, labeled “white-clover honey,” contained 50 per cent of artificial glucose. The presence of added glucose is indicated by the turbidity produced by oxalic acid in a solution of the honey in distilled water. This turbidity is due to the presence of gypsum in artificial glucose—a substance which is not contained in pure honey. (Pitt.)
Horse-radish.—Often harmlessly adulterated with grated turnip.
Isinglass.—Two samples. Both were common gelatine. (Chester.)
Jellies.—Fruit-jellies are often simple apple-jelly, flavored with artificial essences and colored with aniline. Safest not to use them unless their source is known to be trustworthy.
Lard.—Twenty-eight samples. Fifteen pure; the rest contained water. Good lard should melt to a clear fat without sputtering.
Meat.—Sound fresh meat is pale red when first cut, the surface after exposure turning to a deep red. The meat of animals that have died a natural death is of a deep purple color, not having been bled. The greatest danger in meat, however, is that due to the presence of trichinæ, which are killed by a temperature of 160° Fahr. All forms of pork should therefore be cooked thoroughly before eating. (Chester.) Poisoning (vomiting, cramps, and diarrhœa) produced by meat is generally caused by some kind of preserved meat (sausages, pickled meats, etc.), and is probably due to the presence of fungi.