The Romance of Modern Chemistry

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 267