1390 FOODS AND FOOD ADULTERANTS. 



in the preparation of beef extract. This fact has led to the most 

 exaggerated rumors, which represented canned roast beef as little 

 more than a by-product in the preparation of extract of beef. As a 

 matter of fact the soup liquor from canned roast beef furnishes but 

 a small part of the beef extract made by the packing houses. 



Assuming that beef extract contains 21.7 per cent of water, which is 

 given by Konig as the mean of 21 analyses, the amount of commercial 

 beef extract which could be made from the "soup liquors" obtained 

 in the experiments described above is as follows: 



Equivalents of ' ' soup liquor ' ' and extract of beef. 



These figures are somewhat too high, as they are calculated from the 

 total solids present in the "soup liquor," whereas the insoluble 

 matter would be removed by filtration in the preparation of beef 

 extract. The manufacturers state that about 1 pound of commercial 

 extract of beef results from the evaporation of the "soup liquor" 

 used for parboiling 100 pounds of beef. 



I 

 CANNED CORNED BEEF._ 



SELECTION AND PREPARATION OF MEAT. 



The cuts used in the preparation of corned beef are the same as those 

 used for canned roast beef or boiled beef, and the description given 

 under that heading is equally applicable here. 



CURING. 



Pieces of meat prepared as described above are cured in a brine 

 composed of salt and saltpeter, with or without the addition of sugar, 

 for from 20 to 26 days. A portion of the salt is often replaced by a 

 small amount of a more powerful preservative, such as boric acid. 

 Such preservatives are especially used in damp, hot weather, when 

 many packers say they can not cure successfully without them. In 

 place of sugar New Orleans molasses may be used, and glucose, and 

 even saccharin, are sometimes employed. 



