642 FOODS AND FOOD ADULTERANTS. 



As tht result of the investigation as well as the experience we have met with in 

 New Jersey, I consider that it is difficult to find in the market a sample of pure mo- 

 lagses such as could have been obtained some years since. If it is not adulterated 

 with glucose sirup, it has beeu treated with chemicals in order to lighten its color. 

 This latter method is quite as much an adulteration as the former, and is, in my 

 opinion, to be protested against much more than the use of glucose sirup. There is 

 nothing deleterious in glucose and its object is simply to make a sirup not only pleas- 

 ing to the eye but more pleasant, in the opinion of many, to the taste. 



CHEAP CONFECTIONS. 



Of the 25 samples of candies bought they were all purchased from stands on the 

 street or from small stores, the object being to obtain candies which would be more 

 likely to be adulterated than if purchased from larger stores. All the samples were 

 more or less colored, some very highly, but in no instance was any mineral coloring 

 matter detected, the coloring agent in all cases being an aniline color. This was 

 determined by dissolving some of the eandy in water and noting the absorption bands 

 as shown by a small pocket spectroscope. There was no terra alba detected, the can- 

 dies being composed of cane sugar, glucose, starch, or flour. 



The candies purchased consisted of sticks, broken candy, caramels, and such as are 

 usually seen on stands or in small stores. It will be seen on reference to the table 

 that there was a very small amount of " matters insoluble in water," this fact show- 

 ing that they were much purer than one would anticipate from the various state- 

 ments which have been published. Where the matters insoluble in water have been 

 large, it has beeu in cases where the candies have been composed of an admixture of 

 starch or flour or cocoanut, or some similar material, but not from the addition of any 

 mineral substances, From the fact that the coloring agent used was aniline, I ex- 

 amined very carefully for the presence of arsenic, but failed to obtain any reaction. 

 While a few years since aniline colors contained arsenic, at the present time there is 

 no difficulty in obtaining them perfectly free; in fact they are sold with the guaran- 

 tee to this effect. 



It will be noticed from the price which was paid for these candies that they must 

 have been, as they were, of a low grade. They were all more or less flavored, the 

 flavoring agent being artificial and not natural and consisting of the higher ethers. 



LIQUID HONEY. 



This substance can be classed with molasses in the difficulty of obtaining the pure 

 article. The effort was made to obtain as many different brands as possible, and I 

 succeeded in obtaining 31 samples from as many different makers and 19 unknown 

 makers. In doing this there were 132 stores visited, of which 108 sold a brand which 

 was shown to be adulterated. The adulterant used is cane sugar or glucose, or both, 

 while in some instances it appears as if a solution of invert sugar had been used. I 

 have not been able to learn whether such an article is manufactured, although it 

 would be a simple matter for a maker to produce it. Judging from the labels on the 

 various bottles, one is struck with the fact that those samples which claim to be of the 

 greatest purity are as a rule adulterated, and a sample which lays no claim to purity, 

 but is simply marked "honey," is as often pure. All the samples obtained wore 

 liquid honey, although there are to be found in the market jars containing portions 

 of comb. These, however, as is well known, are adulterated, the only honey being the 

 auiall piece of comb. The makers of the adulterated honey do not always use the samu 

 formula. This fact is shown from the analysis of different samples bearing the same 

 brand. Makers also have different brands for different grades of theirTiouey, all being 

 adulterated, one manufacturer in this city producing four and perhaps more dif- 

 ferent brands, they varying from pure glucose sirup, \vilh a flavor, to a mixture of 

 glucose and cane sugar in varying proportions none of them containing a particle 

 of honey. 



