36 



FEUITS AIS^D FRUIT PRODUCTS. 



conversion of the starch. The following table of analyses of the Bald- 

 win apple, b}^ C. A. Browne, "" shows the changes that take place dur- — 

 ing the period of ripening: fl 



Table 7. — Composition of apples at various stages of maturity. 



Date. 



Condition. 



Solids. 



Invert 

 sugar. 



Cane 

 sugar. 



Starch. 



Acidity 

 as per 

 cent 

 malic 

 acid. 



Ash. 



Aug. 7 

 Sept. 13 

 Nov. 15 

 Dec. 15 



i Per cent. 



Very green 18. 47 



Green j 20. 19 



Ripe I 19. 64 



Overripe { 19.70 



Per cent. 

 6.40 

 6.46 

 7.70 



8.81 



Per cent. 

 1.63 

 4.05 

 6.81 

 5.26 



Per cent. 



4.14 



3.67 



.17 



None. 



Per cent. 

 0.271 



Of particular importance is the rapid disappearance of starch as the! 

 period of ripening progresses. Many of the pure apple jellies exam- 

 ined showed no starch reaction whatever, showing that the starch] 

 had already been converted. Hence the absence of starch in any jelly j 

 can not be taken as evidence that apple was not used as a basis. 



Owing to its excellent jellying property the apple is very exten- 

 sively used as the basis with many fruits that alone will not produce a j 

 jelly of proper consistency. This addition is very difficult of detec- 

 tion when a sufficient amount of the particular fruit is used to give the I 

 proper flavor. Where the apple has been used with the small fruits j 

 the presence of a small amount of starch will be an indication although 

 not a proof of its presence, since, as above stated, added starch can not] 

 be differentiated. The use of apple with the large fruits in making] 

 jelly is undoubtedly rather limited, but its use is frequent in connec-1 

 tion with the small fruits. 



Of the jellies examined a large number were found to contain starch. 

 Many of these give only slight reactions, indicating that the starch was] 

 normally present in the fruit. In only a few cases was it apparent 

 that starch had been added in making up the product, and these werej 

 the cheapest grade of goods found on the market. 



COLORING MATTER. 



The use of foreign coloring material in fruit products is very wide- 

 spread for two reasons. One is that the color of the fruit is not ver; 

 stable, and the processes of preserving are liable to dim or destroy it, 

 and, furthermore, the color will not last in goods that are constantly! 

 exposed to the action of the light, as is the case with those placed onj 

 the store shelves. The other reason is that it enables the manufacturer] 

 to use fruit of deficient color and thus to conceal inferiority. Thei 



" Pennsylvania Dept. of Agr. Bui. 58, p. 15. 



