662 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



COCOA AND CHOCOLATK. 



By I'hok. C. B. Cochran, n'eat Chester, Pa. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



The amount of cocoa beans auuually imported into the United 

 States, and the amount of cocoa and chocolate manufactured aod con- 

 sumed in this country is increasing at a remarkably rapid rate. 

 The same statement is true in regard to England, Germany and 

 France. For example, the quantity of cocoa beans imported into 

 Germany m 1898 was three and one-third times as great as that im- 

 ported in 188G. In England, the consumption of cocoa has increased 

 four-fold during the last twenty years. While I have not exact 

 data for our own country, covering the same period, yet such sta- 

 tistics as I have been able to obtain show that the increase in the 

 consumption of the products of the cocoa bean in the United States 

 has kept pace with that shown in case of Germany and England. 



As the cocoa industry has increased, so also has competition be- 

 tween manufacturers increased. This competition has led to a 

 rather extensive adulteration of cocoa. 



The literature pertaining to the manufacture a«id. adulteration of 

 cocoa preparations is quite extensive, consequently to give a review 

 of the subject with any attempt at completeness would make an ob- 

 jectionably' voluminous report. Believing that I have had fairly 

 good opportunities for studying conditions as they now exist, par- 

 ticularly in our owo State I have confined mvself chieflv to the re- 

 suits of my own observations. 



(1) WHY OUR FOREFATHERS HAD NO PURE FOOD LAWS. 



Less than half a century ago almost the entire population of this 

 country lived upon food that was home-grown and home-prepared. 

 With the exception of a few articles requiring a different climate 

 than our own for their production, such as coffee, tea, sugar, spices, 

 etc., regarded rather as luxuries than necessities, the inhabitants of 

 the country lived exclusively upon food of their own producing, 

 while the dwellers of the city were supplied with the products of the 

 neighboring farms. Provisions of all kinds were supplied in an un- 

 prepared condition and their preservation or preparation for the 

 table was accomplished at the home. Nearly every one was per- 

 sonally acquainted with the various manufacturing oi>erations nee- 



