DISCUSSION OF RESULTS OBTAINED. 987 



Vanilla, and vanillin are often replaced by balsam Pern, storax, toln, and gum ben- 

 zoin. 



The melting and. congealing points of the fats and of the free fatty acids are no 

 indication whatever, as pnre cocoa butter shows great variations. 



Legler 1 regards the cellulose determination as an uncertain means of 

 detecting husks, because the results vary with the method used. 



DISCUSSION OF THE RESULTS OBTAINED. 



While the time at our disposal has not permitted as thorough an 

 investigation in some details of the work as seemed desirable, sufficient 

 data have been obtained to show the general character and extent of 

 the adulteration of the cocoa preparations sold on our markets. 



The determination of the ash serves as a means of determining the 

 extent of dilution with foreign materials (the nature of these materials 

 being known) of organic or inorganic origin. The per cent of ash 

 decreases with the addition of substances low in ash, as starch, flour, 

 etc. ; increases with the removal of fat, the addition of mineral matter 

 for weight or color, or the addition of alkaline carbonates in the process 

 of manufacture. The percentages of ash, fat, sugar, and starch must 

 be considered with reference to each other in order to determine whether 

 any one is abnormal. Any addition of mineral matter that could pos- 

 sibly be of value for increasing the weight or color of the preparation 

 would certainly render the ash conspicuously abnormal in amount or 

 color. 



For the detection of the use of fixed alkalis in the process of manu- 

 facture, the number of cubic centimeters of decinormal acid necessary 

 to neutralize the ash from 2 grams of material was determined. The 

 number thus obtained is put down in the table of results as acid equiva- 

 lent. By use of this number and the number expressing the per cent 

 of ash in the sample, the following additional numbers were calculated : 



A = acid equivalent per cent ash. 



B = acid equivalent per cent ash the per cent of alkali in the ash (calculated 



/acid equivalent X .0053 X 100. \ 

 as Na. 2 CO 3 ) = acid equivalent per cent ash \ ^ I 



In the samples yielding a normal ash, A varies from 1.20 to 1.72 and 

 exceeds 1.50 in eleven cases; B varies from 1.07 to 3.15 and exceeds 

 2.80 in three cases. 



The determinations proposed by Stutzer were made in only six 

 samples. It is greatly regretted that time did permit more of these 

 determinations, since the method seems to be of considerable value, 

 although the differences in the results are not as marked as are those 

 obtained by Stutzer (see pp. 943 and 985). 



The only decidedly abnormal ashes were those from samples Nos. 40, 

 42, and 04 which were unquestionably prepared by use of alkalis (see 

 table of results). The ash figures obtained for samples 51 and 53, while 



!Rep. f. anal, chem., 1884, 4, 345. 



