The Romance of Modern Chemistry
Forfatter: James C. Phillip
År: 1912
Forlag: Seeley, Service & Co. Limited
Sted: London
Sider: 347
UDK: 540 Phi
A Description in non-technical Language of the diverse and wonderful ways in which chemical forces are at work and of their manifold application in modern life.
With 29 illustrations & 15 diagrams.
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THE ADULTERATION OF FOOD
way, has an interesting natural origin. Practically all
the acid we use for preservative and other purposes comes
from Tuscany, where numbers of steam jets of volcanic
origin — soffiorii, as they are called — are to be found
issuing from the ground. This steam contains small
quantities of boric acid, and when a tank to hold water
is built round the blowhole, the boric acid is condensed.
It gradually accumulates in the water of the tank, and is
then obtained by evaporation, the steam jets themselves
being used to promote the process. Successful results
have been obtained also from artificial soffioni, started by
boring into the lower strata.
There are other chemicals which are often used as food
preservatives, such as salt, sugar, and vinegar. These
substances are themselves foods to some extent, and they
are therefore much less objectionable than purely anti-
septic preservatives like boric acid and formaldehyde.
The use of common salt (sodium chloride) in preserving
butter and meat is well known to every one, and it is not
regarded as an adulterant. A curious effect is produced
when the solution in which beef is salted contains some
saltpetre (nitrate of potash) as well as sodium chloride.
The saltpetre causes the meat to preserve its natural red
colour, which would be destroyed, partially, at least, by
the action of common salt alone.
Eggs are a form of food which is fortunately out
of the reach of the adulterator. At least he cannot
imitate the egg as a whole, and his turn comes only
when the question of an egg substitute arises. In this
line he has displayed his usual ingenuity, and brought
out powders which are said to contain all the in-
gredients of eggs, but which on examination are found
to fall very far short of that standard. In one case
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