8 
IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 
LEMON AND VANILLA EXTRACTS. 
The funds for the investigation would not allow the work upon extracts 
to be undertaken. The following results taken from the reports of other 
states will be of interest. In Massachusetts, during the year ending Sep- 
tember 30, 1902, sixteen samples of lemon extract were examined and thir- 
teen did not meet the standard required by the state law. The investiga- 
tion for the vanilla extracts gave the following results: 
‘‘Fifteen out of eighteen samples examined were found adulterated 
either by reason of being artificial tinctures of vanilla and not true extracts 
of the vanilla bean, or because they failed to conform to the formula in 
cases where there is one. The use of the formula for this class of goods is 
on the increase, but in many cases they are not found to conform to the 
results of our analyses. ” 
In Ohio during the past year sixty-eight samples were collected and six- 
teen were found to be adulterated. 
In Michigan, six samples of vanilla extract were collected in August, 
1903, and all were found *to be adulterated. The extract of vanilla appears 
to be adulterated more than lemon extract, artificial vanilla and coumarin 
being the products used, with artificial coloring. 
spices . 
The spices used in the household are no doubt adulterated to a greater 
extent than any of the products used for food. 
Pepper is adulterated with ground pepper shells, ground olive pits, corn 
meal and roasted cocoanut shells. 
Allspice is adulterated with wheat and exhausted ginger. 
Cassia is adulterated with exhausted ginger and cassia buds. 
Cayenne is adulterated with cornstarch and turmeric. 
Cloves are adulterated with allspice, nut shells, and sand and sweepings. 
Ginger is adulterated with turmeric, buckwheat and powdered charcoal. 
Mace is adulterated with cornstarch and wild mace. 
From the above results it will be seen that the people of Iowa are subjected 
to a large amount of fraud in connection with their food products. The bill to 
prevent food adulteration was presented to the last legislature, but failed. 
There is great need, on the part of those interested in the welfare of the 
state, to exert their influence for the passing of a pure food law. It is cer- 
tainly not to the honor of our state that we stand among the group of two 
or three states which have not upon their statute books a pure food law, for 
preventing imposition upon the innocent and unsuspecting purchaser of food 
products. 
Respectfully submitted, 
J. B. Weems, 
Chairman of Committee on Pure Food Legislation. 
