812 FOODS AND FOOD ADULTERANTS. 



Adding 5 to 7 grams of this substance to a liter of a 25 to 30 per cent solution of 

 honey, together with some wine yeast, a practically complete fermentation can be 

 obtained. A solution containing 230 grams of honey to the liter, fermented almost 

 completely in 12 days, as completely at any rate as wine must. 



FERMENTATION.* 



The author brings out the following points: (1) For the fermentation of honey, 

 the addition of nutrient salts, which Gastine prescribes, is not necessary. Any note- 

 worthy further fermentation of dextrin by injudicious selection of yeast is not 

 possible. (2) For the fermentation test, it is not a matter of indifference which 

 yeast is used. Wine yeast acts least upon the dextrin of honey. Beer yeast has 

 more action, but not enough to produce complete fermentation. Using pressed yeast 

 and working at proper temperatures, complete fermentation is usually obtained, so 

 that the author suggests that it is desirable always to use pressed yeast iu honey 

 tests in order that comparative results may be obtained. At present great care is 

 necessary in judging or condemning honey on analytical data. Hilger confirmed the 

 Itatements in the paper of Raumer and expressed the hope that a yeast would be 

 prepared possessing the qualities necessary in honey investigations. Will recalled 

 the fact that Hansen, of Copenhagen, had investigated the action of different yeasts 

 on the various sugars and dextrins, and proposed that, as far as possible, pure cultures 

 only be used, inasmuch as the determination of the fermentative power of the yeast 

 to be used is not sufficient. 



NOTES RELATING TO THE ADULTERATION OF HONEY WITH GLUCOSE OR STARCH SIRUP 

 AND METHODS OF DETECTION.! 



With regard to the adulteration- of honey with starch sirup, v. Planta proposes to 

 estimate the amount of grape sugar before and after inversion with a 2 per cent solution 

 of sulphuric acid. Pure honey yields about 8 per cent of grape sugar while, that 

 sophisticated with starch sirup shows an increase of as much as 45 per cent ; more- 

 over, pure honey contains 63 to 71 per cent of reducing sugar already formed ; arti- 

 ficial honey only 29 to 37 per cent. 



DETECTION OF GLUCOSE IN HONEY.t 



A cheap and easy way to test for the presence of glucose in honey is to put some of 

 it into a cup of tea made strong. If it is heavily adulterated with the compounds 

 found in glucose, it will turn black, almost like ink. Another test is to pour alcohol 

 and this poisonous compound together. Pure honey and alcohol will unite, but pure 

 honey and this compound will separate like honey and water. 



(NOTE. The accuracy of the above test is not very apparent. If the glucose con- 

 tained traces of iron the tannin of the tea would form a dark compound therewith. 

 Alcohol in a solution of the mixture would precipitate dextrin. H. W. W.) 



DETECTION OF CANE AND STARCH SUGAR IN HONEY. 



To detect starch sugar the author uses a 10 per cent solution of mercurons nitrate 

 and pure commercial absolute alcohol as reagents. The mercurous nitrate solution is 

 made from 1 g of the crystallized salt, and 9 cc of water. Two or three drops nitric 

 acid are added. After standing several hours the clear liquid is poured off and is 



* E. v. Raumer, Vers. d. bayer. Ver. d. angew, Chemie. 9; Pharm. Centralhalle, 

 31, 322 ; abs. Chem. Centralblatt, 1890, 2, 126. 



tV. Planta. Dingl. polyt. Jour, 238, 36; abs. Jour Chem. Soc., 1881, 40, 316. 

 t Rev. J. G. Teeter, Amer. Bee Journal, Aug. 26, 1885 ; ibid., Oct. 27, 1886. 

 $ II. Hager, Pharm. Centralhalle, 26, 327 ; Chem. Centralblatt, 1885, 764.- 



