SUGAR, MOLASSES, CONFECTIONS, AND HONEY. 811 



ACTION OF PHENOLS ON HONEYS.* 



If honey is covered with aqueous solution of phloroglucin and a large quantity 

 of strong hydrochloric acid, a weak reddish coloration forms after some time, which 

 on standing longer becomes more pronounced. Using resorcin in the same way a beau- 

 tiful light-red color is formed. The other phenols act only after heating. A solution 

 of aniline sulphate in water produces a yellow color in a honey solution after some 

 time. These reactions the author regards as due to the presence in the honey of com- 

 pounds of the aromatic series, such as appear in wood. 



NOTES RELATING TO THE FERMENTATION OF HONEY.t 



According to R. Kayser t the residue after the fermentation of honey is not usually 

 optically active, and when heated with HC1 only exceptionally gives any reducing 

 sugar. The first two methods, therefore, proposed by Siebcii for investigating honey 

 Kayser altered as follows: Twenty-five grams of honey are mixed with 12 grams 

 starch-free yeast and enough water to make up to about 200 cc and the whole allowed 

 to stand forty-eight hours. Alumina hydrate is next added, and the whole made up 

 to 250 cc ; 200 cc of clear filtrate are evaporated to 50 cc and polarized. A dextro- 

 rotation of more than 1 (Wild) shows the presence of starch sugar. Twenty-five cc 

 of the solution used for the polarization are then to be mixed with 25 cc water and 5 

 cc concentrated HC1, and the mixture heated in a boiling-water bath for an hour; 

 neutralized, made up to 100 cc, and reducing sugar estimated in 25 cc by Allihn's 

 method. The sugar content multiplied by 40 gives the sugar resulting from the fer- 

 mentation residue of 100 grams of honey. If this is over 1 per cent it indicates adul- 

 teration with glucose. 



E. Dieterich || recommends the determination of the acidity of honey as affording 

 valuable characteristics. Dissolve 10 grams of honey in 90 cc water, add 3 drops 

 phenolphtaleiii solution and titrate with , n 5 KHO. . Six samples of honey gave read- 

 ings between 3.5 and 6.5 cc alkali (=19.6 to 36.4 mg KHO) for the acid of 10 grams 

 honey. Hehner.( Analyst, 10, 217) recommends the estimation of P 2 O S in honey ash. 

 He found in five natural honeys per cents ranging between 0.013 and 0.035 per cent, 

 P 2 O 6 . Reaction of ash strongly alkaline. Artificial honey made from glucose (made 

 with mineral acids) gave a neutral ash containing PsOg, equivalent to 0.085 to 

 0.0108 per cent of the honey. Artificial honey made from cane sugar gave a slightly 

 alkaline ash containing no trace of P 2 O 6 even when 50 grams of sample were burnt. 



ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION OF HONEY. If 



Honey, even under favorable conditions, undergoes the alcoholic fermentation with 

 difficulty, the cause of which is probably due to its lack of sufficient quantity of ash 

 ingredient and nitrogen. The author has experimented with additions of various 

 nutrient substances and has finally adopted a mixture consisting of: 



Parts. 



Diammonium phosphate 100 



Neutral ammonium tartrate 350 



Cream of tartar 600 



Magnesia 20 



Gypsum 50 



Common salt 3 



Sulphur 1 



Tartaric acid 250 



* A. Ihle. Chem. Zeit. 14, 3. ; abs. Chem. Ceutralblatt, 1890, 1, 390. 

 t Fres. Zeit. f. a. Chem., 1888, 231. 



t Ber. iiber die Vte. Versamm. von bayr. Vertr. d. angew. Chemie,Berlin, 1886, 91. 

 Fres. Zeit. f. a. Chem., 24, 137. 



|| Geschiiftsber. d. Papier und Chem. Fabrik in Helfenberg bei Dresden, 1885-'86; 

 also, Helfenberger Aunalen, 1886-'87. 

 H G. Gaatine, Comptes rend., 109, 479. 



