586  Cane  Sugar  in  Official  Syrups.  {AS^SS&t. 
varied  in  color  from  light  straw  to  deep  brown,  and  in  age  from  six 
months  to  two  or  even  three  years,  not  one  was  found  to  give  a  free 
iodine  reaction. 
Similar  conditions  prevail  in  the  other  two  syrups  mentioned. 
The  writer  would  offer  the  following  explanation  of  this  color 
change : 
The  free  acid  will  invert  the  cane  sugar  in  the  syrup,  with  forma- 
tion of  glucose  and  laevulose. 
The  latter,  according  to  Jungfieisch  and  Grimbart,  decomposes 
much  more  readily  than  glucose,  a  pure  solution  turning  yellow  at 
400  C.  • 
Prolonged  action  of  mineral  acids  also  decomposes  laevulose,  with 
formation  of  formic  and  laevulinic  acids,  together  with  the  indefinite 
coloring  compounds,  which  the  Germans  describe  under  the  title  of 
"  humin  substancen." 
That  high  temperatures  have  a  certain  influence  on  the  produc- 
tion of  these  color  changes,  was  illustrated  during  the  hot  days  of 
the  past  summer. 
Samples  of  syrups  of  hydriodic  acid  and  calcium  lactophosphate, 
which  remained  colorless  through  spring  and  early  summer,  in  July 
and  August  almost  simultaneously  became  straw  colored  to  brown. 
Syrups,  thus  inverted,  will  gradually  deposit  grape  sugar.  This 
takes  place  more  readily  in  winter,  as  the  higher  summer  tempera- 
tures will  keep  the  glucose  in  solution. 
The  writer  found  this  to  be  the  case  with  syrups  of  hydriodic 
acid,  calcium  lactophosphate  and  syrup  of  the  hypophosphites  pre- 
pared according  to  Churchill's  formula. 
The  deposit  in  a  specimen  of  syrup  of  hydriodic  acid,  after  being 
washed  with  small  portions  of  water  and  alcohol  to  remove  the  acid, 
was  dissolved  in  boiling  alcohol,  filtered  while  hot  and  allowed  to 
redeposit. 
The  white  warty  mass  thus  obtained  has  a  feebly  sweet  taste,  is 
readily  soluble  in  water  and  strongly  reduces  Fehling's  solution. 
It  responds  to  all  other  reactions  for  grape  sugar,  and  estimated 
with  the  alkaline  cupric  tartrate  V.  S.  gave  an  anhydrous  glucose 
percentage  of  over  75. 
In  the  proceedings  of  the  A.  Ph.  A.  of  1893,  some  observations 
of  Kulisch  are  recorded  on  the  inversion  of  beet  root  sugar  in  the 
presence  of  natural  fruit  acids. 
