360 SCIENCE OF HOME AND COMMUNITY 



3. To test fruit products such as jellies, jams, and sirups for arti- 

 ficial coloring matter. 



Place a few teaspoonfuls of the sample in water and boil to 

 dissolve it. Place in this liquid a small woolen cloth or a few 

 pieces of white woolen yarn. Boil for five to ten minutes, 

 stirring occasionally. Remove the cloth and wash in hot water. 

 If the cloth is brightly colored the presence of artificial dyes is 

 shown. Natural colors give a dull pinkish brown tinge. To 

 make the test more certain, place the cloth in a solution of 

 dilute ammonia made by mixing 10 parts of water with I part 

 of ammonia. Boil for about five minutes and remove the cloth. 

 The artificial coloring matter dissolves the ammonia. If this 

 is colored, add HC1 to it till the mixture is acid. Place in it a 

 fresh piece of white woolen cloth and boil. Remove and wash 

 in water. If the cloth is colored, the presence of artificial dyes 

 is shown. 



4. To test ground coffee for adulterations. 



Place a few teaspaonfuls of ground coffee in a beaker half 

 full of cold water and shake thoroughly and allow to stand. 

 Most of the coffee will float, while the chteory and cereal adul- 

 terants sink, coloring the water with a brownish tinge. 



5. To test spices for starchy adulterants. 



Cloves, mustard, and cayenne contain practically no starch, 

 so that the presence of starch is proof of adulteration. To test 

 for starch boil in water for a few minutes, allow to cool, and add 

 a drop of iodin. A blue color indicates the presence of starch 

 and hence of some adulterant. 



6. To test lemon extract. 



To a test tube nearly filled with water add a teaspoonful of 

 the extract. If real lemon oil is present, it will be thrown out 

 of solution and will give a turbid appearance to the solution 

 and will form a layer on top of the water. If the solution re- 

 mains clear after diluting with water, very little or no oil of 

 lemon is present. 



United States Pure Food Law. When people realized the 

 injury that was being done them through these impure foods, 

 they took steps to protect themselves by law. In 1906 the 



