208 FOODS AND FOOD ADULTERANTS. 



8 per ceut. are probably fair. limits. The determination is of compara- 

 tive value, revealing the presence of foreign woody or fibrous matter. 

 The albuminoids do not vary widely, 10 per c ent. being the average, 

 with extremes in our experience of 7.69 and 11.50. The addition of ui- 

 trogenous seeds of course increases the amount, and of fibrous or woody 

 matter diminishes it. As will be seen, therefore, the determination is a 

 useful one. The variations, then, may be summarized as follows : 



With these pure peppers the ground samples must be compared. In 

 the table the determinations which are suspicious are printed in full- 

 faced type. All but one of the black peppers are convicted of adultera- 

 tion on the chemical evidence. 



The first, 4515, has too little piperine and resin, too little starch, 

 and too much fiber. It is apparent that some fibrous or woody diluent 

 has been added, as appears from the microscopic examination to be true. 



Without discussing each analysis in detail it may be pointed out that 

 only three samples contained an excess of ash, as a rule being free from 

 mineral adulterants, and the three cases are probably only dirty, so that 

 the addition of minerals is not common in this country. 



The piperine and resin were deficient in all the specimens except the 

 one pure one, revealing at once sophistication. 



Starch was deficient in all the specimens, in the pure specimen falling 

 below the usual limits, which at the same time was more than usually 

 husky, thus accounting for the difference, and in fact in all but two 

 cases there was present more fiber in the peppers than we have consid- 

 ered normal, another indication of the presence of adulterants or dirt. 



The albuminoids in two cases were present in excess i ve amount, reveal 

 ing the presence of some foreign seed rich in nitrogen. In the other 

 specimens the adulterants did not throw this determination far away 

 from the normal. 



In the white peppers the presence of an excessive amount of starch in 

 4555 makes it suspicious, and the great deficit in piperine and excess 

 of starch and fiber show that 4882 is adulterated. 



The value of the chemical determinations is thus plainly illustrated. 

 Perhaps with no one of the substances which are considered in this re- 

 port are the indications more certain. It would be possible, too, in an 

 indirect way, by means of proportions such as have been already men- 

 tioned, to calculate with an approximation to accuracy the extent of the 



