IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 
5 
The various products which were selected for investigation were 
grouped as follows — 
Group /. 
1. Cream of tartar and baking powders. 
2. Mustard. 
3. Pepper, allspice and other spices. 
4. Vinegar. 
Group II. 
5. Honey. 
6. Molasses and other syrups. 
7. Candy. 
8. Maple sugar and syrup. 
9. Jellies and jams. 
10. Lemon and vanilla extracts. 
11. Fruit syrups. 
Group III. 
12. Lard. 
13. Linseed oil. 
14. Buckwheat flour. 
15. Catsups. 
,16. Coffee and substitutes. 
17. Tea and substitutes. 
Group IV. 
18. Impure ice. 
19. Coloring matters used in canned goods. 
The amount of money which could be used for the investigation was 
limited and it was decided to carry on the work as far as the funds would 
allow. 
The first group of products selected were the vinegars. Twelve samples 
were analyzed with the results as shown in the table which formed a part of 
the report. From the chemical analyses, it was shown that eight of the 
twelve samples were not cider vinegar, or, in other words, 66f per cent of 
the products sold as cider vinegar are not produced from cider. 
In this connection, it is of interest to note that in Massachusetts during 
the year ending September 20, 1902, out of 270 samples of vinegar, 178 were 
condemned as not meeting the requirements of the state law. In Ohio, 
twenty-four samples of a total of seventy were regarded as adulterated . 
Many of the samples were below the strength required by law. The retail 
dealers have no means of determining whether a vinegar is pure or not. 
They have simply the word of the jobber. I have in mind, a case, where 
the vinegar sold by a merchant as cider vinegar, on examination proved to 
be a spirit vinegar. He reported the fact to the dealers in Chicago, and it 
was claimed by them that they purchased the product for cider vinegar, and 
were themselves misled by the statement of the makers. Some of the deal- 
ers claim that the price is an indication whether the product is pure cider 
vinegar or not. There is no doubt that the vinegars sold to the public are 
grossly misrepresented. 
