LARD AND LARD ADULTERATIONS. 



.01 



ABSTRACTS OP METHODS USED IN LARD ANALYSIS, WITH RESULTS 

 THEREOF, RECENTLY USED BY ANALYSTS. 



Dr. Shippen Wallace* has made a study of tbe adulteration of lard. 

 His conclusions are as follows : 



In all samples of suspected lard, if one will follow tbe method here given, he can 

 not fail to meet with correct and proper results. 



(1) Hiibl's method, which will indicate either adulteration with tallow alone or 

 cotton-seed oil alone, or indicate pure lard. 



(2) Use Bechi's test, as described, which will p rove the presence or absence of cot 

 tonseed oil. 



(3) Use the sulphuric-acid test as a further confirmation. 



By these last two, if Hiibl's method should yield a figure which would classify the 

 suspected lard as pure, one can readily confirm or disprove it, while if Hiibl's should 

 indicate cottonseed oil, they would make the proof complete. Lard stearine yields 

 figures, by Hiibl's method, within the range of pure lard, and while some manufact- 

 urers make use of this article in the manufacture of summer lard, yet it is not an 

 adulteration in the same sense that cottonseed oil and tallow are. I have not men- 

 tioned other claimed adulterants of lard, as they are easy of detection ; water we 

 sometimes find, one sample I examined containing 11.80 per cent. When this is found 

 it is either caused by carelessness in the manufacture, or is intentional, as it can 

 readily be guarded against. 



The percentages of iodine absorbed by sixteen samples of pure and 

 adulterated lard as found by Dr. Wallace are given in the following 

 table : 



NITRATE OP SILVER REACTION WITH COTTON OIL. 



Biziot criticises the report of the Italian commission which recom- 

 mended Bechi's test for detecting cotton oil. 



According to Bizio pure olive oil sometimes produces reduction of 

 silver even when the re-agent is slightly acidified with nitric acid. On 

 the other hand, some samples of cotton oil fail to produce the reduction. 

 Bizio did not take the same care to identify his samples that was used 

 b;y the commission, and his criticism will not impair the value of the 

 large experience which has shown the practical reliability of the silver 

 test in the detection of cotton oil. 



* Report of the Dairy Commissioner of tbe State of New Jersey for 1887, p. 16 etseq. 

 tChem. Central- Blatt, June 2:5, 1888, p. 8715. 



