42 THE ALUMNI JOURNAL 



PAPRIKA. 



By Sidney May, Phar. D. (N. Y. C. P.). 



Paprika is the dried ripe fruit of Capsicum Annuuni L. or some 

 other large fruited species of Capsicum, excluding the stems. 



It is remarkable to note the increased popularity of this codimcnt 

 in the last few years, and owing to the increased demand it has 

 been subjected to gross sophistication. 



The following is a partial classification of Paprika : 



Class No. I consists of pods only, removing seeds, placenta and 

 stems. 



Class No. 2 consists of pods and seeds, removing stems, and is 

 sometimes called Rose Paprika. 



Class No. 3 consists of grinding the entire fruit which are un- 

 sound, including pods and seeds, and removing the stems. This is 

 known as King Paprika. 



Class No. 4 consists of pods, seeds and stems and other waste 

 substances of the fruit, and is known as Mercantile Paprika. 



The chemical analysis of Paprika consists in determining the 



amount of moisture, total ash, sand, volatile and non-volatile ether 



extracts, crude fiber, iodine No. of non-volatile ether extract and 



sugar, calculated as total reducing matter, figured as starch. Also 



artificial coloring matter. 



Moisture. 



Dry 2 grammes at iio° C to constant weight, from the resulting 



loss, subtract the amount of volatile ether extract and figure the 



difference as moisture. 



Ash. 



Char 2^ to 2.5 grammes of the substance and burn until carbon 

 free at the lowest possible heat. 



If a carbon free ash cannot be obtained in this manner, exhaust 

 the mass with water, collect the insoluble residue on a filter, l)urn 

 until the ash is white or nearly so, and then add the filtrate to the 

 ash, and evaporate to dryness ; heat to low redness and weigh. 



Soluble Ash. 



Treat the above total ash with hot water, boil and filter in a 

 gooch crucible, weigh and calculate the difference as water soluble 

 ash. 



