56 
ALLEGED  ADULTERATION   OF  ANNATTO. 
undergoing  decomposition,  often  becoming  filled  with  maggots? 
and  rendered  wholly  unfit  for  use. 
There  are  several  different  applications  which  are  made  of 
annatto.  It  is  used,  and  this  is  probably  its  most  extensive  ap- 
plication, for  dyeing  silk  and  wool.  It  is  said  to  be  inapplicable 
for  dyeing  cotton.  It  is  used  by  the  Russians  for  staining  the 
Russian  leather.  It  is  employed  as  a  coloring  agent  in  some 
kinds  of  varnish.  It  is  also  used  for  imparting  color  to  cheese, 
butter  and  some  other  articles  of  human  food.  For  some  of 
these  applications  the  annatto  requires  to  be  specially  prepared 
for  that  particular  purpose.  In  the  state  in  which  it  is  imported, 
it  does  not  yield  its  color  to  water,  but  the  coloring  matter  must 
be  rendered  soluble  in  water  in  order  to  be  applicable  for  the 
coloring  of  cheese.  If  it  be  used  for  coloring  varnishes,  this  pre- 
paration is  not  required  or  even  available  ;  but  it  has  to  be  pre- 
pared in  a  different  way.  Hence,  annatto  is  one  of  those  im- 
ported articles  which,  before  it  goes  into  the  hands  of  the  retail 
dealers,  is  subjected  to  certain  processes,  by  which  it  is  fitted 
for  the  particular  uses  to  which  it  is  to  be  applied.  One  of  the 
objects  of  thus  preparing  annatto  for  commerce,  is  to  render  it 
less  liable  to  undergo  decomposition  than  it  would  be  in  the  state 
in  which  it  is  imported.  In  preparing  annatto  with  these  ob- 
jects, certain .  additions  are  made  to  it.  Substances  are  added, 
some  of  which  are  intended  to  prevent  decomposition,  and  others 
to  develope  the  color  required,  and  make  this  soluble  in  the 
menstrua  by  which  it  is  to  be  applied.  Annatto  prepared  for 
coloring  cheese  has  an  alkali  added  to  it,  and  it  is  either  made 
into  the  form  of  a  clear  liquid  of  a  dark  yellowish-brown  color, 
or  of  a  stiff 'paste,  unalterable  by  keeping,  and  the  color  of  which 
is  readily  soluble  in  water. 
[Mr.  Redwood's  further  remarks  had  reference  to  the  statements  of  Mr. 
Hassell,  Dr.  Normanbv,  and  others,  in  reference  to  the  adulteration  of  this 
article,  with  chalk,  flour,  turmeric,  salt,  soap,  red  ochre,  copper  and  red 
lead,  which  he  believed  had  caused  an  erroneous  impression,  calculated 
to  injure  honorable  dealers.] 
Pharm.  Journ,  Nov.,  1855. 
