F(KJl) IXSl'KGTrON. 255 



TAKTRATE-ALUAI-ACID PHOSPHATE POWDliR. 



7466. Grand Union Baking Powder, made by the Grand 

 Union Tea Co., Brooklyn, N. Y. Purchased from Grand Union 

 Tea Co., Lewiston. In one pound tin. Price per can 50 centt. 

 Cost per ounce 3 cents. The label states that the baking powder 

 contains cream of tartar, acid phosphate, alum, starch and 

 bicarbonate of soda. The acid salts are correctly named. 



7468. /. C. Baking Powder, made by Jacques Mfg. Co., 

 Chicago, New York and Kansas City. Purchased from C. H. 

 Cloutier, Lewiston. In lo-ounce tin. Price per can 10 cents. 

 Cost per ounce 0.9 cents. These are old goods and the dealer 

 stated that he would procure the proper labels. A year ago the 

 manufacturer said that the label now used stated that the powder 

 ■consists of calcium acid phosphate and basic aluminum sulphate. 

 In addition to alum and acid phosphate, the sample here exam- 

 ined carried tartaric acid. 



Spices. 



Spices are vegetable materials which depend for their use 

 upon the pungency which they possess to give flavor or relish to 

 food. As such they are of considerable importance dietetic- 

 ally, but from the fact that they are used in such small amounts, 

 they have actually little nutritive value. Spices are, how'ever, 

 of great interest to the public because of all food materials, they 

 are more susceptible than other classes to fraudulent adultera- 

 tion of the more skilled variety. In many cases not only the 

 general appearance and taste of the skillful adulterated article 

 are made to counterfeit the genuine spices, but even the miscro- 

 scopical appearance is intended to deceive. It is very rare that 

 the microscope fails to detect the presence of any foreign sub- 

 stance in spice and hence its use is indispensable and in some 

 respects more important than chemistry in the examination of 

 spices. In most cases, however, both the microscopical and 

 chemical determinations are necessary that the information given 

 by one method may supplement that of the other. 



The two most important chemical determinations are ash and 

 ether extract. The miscroscope will betray even the presence 

 or traces of foreign substances and of course such traces are 

 liable to be present in the most carefully manufactured goods. 

 Most manufacturers use the same mill for erindins: different 



