Agricultural Chemzstvy.
I93
pound. All of the preservatives commonly used can be easily detected by the skilled chemist, despite statements sometimes made to the contrary. T h e author gives a review of the recent testimony of medical authorities as to the poisonons or non-poisonous character of some of these preservatives such as boric acid for instance and finds it so conflicting as to leave the question a t present undetermined. The report of the committee recently appointed by the British Government to investigate the use of preservatives in foods is, on the whole, unfavorable to the use of S.P. SADTLER. preservatives. Estimates of the Sugar' Crop of the World for 1902-1903. U. S. Consular Report, January, 1903.I. From the sugar beet : 192-193.
Tons. .......... 1,950,000 2,299,408 ............ I ,025,000 I ,302,038 ............ 880,000 1,i83,420 ............ 1,275,000 1,110,000 ........... 240,000 300,000 ......... 125,000 203,172
Germany Austria France Russia Belgium Holland.. Other countries..
.. Total.. ..........
191-1932.
18qg-lgOo.
1,798,631 I, 108,007 977,580 905,737 302,865 171,029 355,000 400,000 263,919 -- - - - - ---5,850,000 6,843,038 6,046,518 5,518,048 4,982,101
11. From the sugar-cane : 192-1903,
................ ............
Cuba. Port0 Rico. United States Other countries
.......... ........
Tons.
191-1go2.
ISCO-I~OI.
18gg-ig0o.
683,312 512,061 281,420 95,000 82,179 55@9 32,751 425,000 400,000 350,000 267,734 2,100,ooo 2,197,1142,127,251 1,894,152 850,000
-- -- -- --
3,470,000 3,362,605 3,044,401 2,476,057 111. Old stocks.. ........... 1,8m,m0 964,042 609,848 928,240
----
Combined total..
.....11,120,00011,169,6859,700,767 8,922,335
S. P. SADTLER.
AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY. Fruits and Fruit Products. BY L. S. MUNSON,L. M. TOLMAN, AND B. J. HOWARD. U. .C. Dept. Agr., Bureau of Chem. Bull. No. 66, pp. 114.-The primary object of the extended investigations reported in this bulletin was to determine the character of the fruit products on the market. The attempt was made to secure a thoroughly representative collection and to this end samples of all grades of jams, jellies, and similar preparations on sale at selected stores in the cities of Washington, New York, Philadelphia, and New Orleans were obtained. For purposes of comparison, numerous additional analyses were made of fresh fruits, fruit juices, and jellies and jams made in the laboratory. T h e bulletin was prepared under the direction of W. D. Bigelow, chief of the food laboratory.
I94
Review of American Chemical Research.
T h e chemical work was done by Munson and Tolman. The methods of analysis used are given in full. The authors discuss the addition of glucose, preservatives, starch, coloring-matter, gelatinizing agents, artificial sweetening materials, and foreign fruits to commercial fruits products, and the presence of heavy metals in products preserved in tin receptacles. The substitution of glucose for the more expensive sugars was found extensively practiced. Of 214 samples examined, I I O contained glucose. T h e better class of these samples contained as low as I O per cent. of glucose, while some of the cheaper grades mere composed almost entirely of this material. A brief account of the manufacture and composition of glucose is included. T h e preservatives most commonly found were salicylic and benzoic acids or their sodium salts. I n jellies and jams they were present in more than one-half of the samples examined, while in canned fruits they were usually absent. Their use was most extensive in fruit products put up in glass jars and not hermetically sealed. Starch was apparently added iu the manufacture of some of the cheaper grades of jellies. Many pure apple jellies were found to show no starch reaction whatever. Hence it is considered that the absence of starch in any jelly cannot be taken as evidence that apples were not used as a basis. T h e use of apples or apple juice for giving jellies proper consistency 1s believed to be very extensive. Gelatin and agar were not detected in the samples examined. I11 2 5 samples of fruit products put up in tin cans, tin was absent in only one sample and present in quantities ranging from 41 to I ,259 milligrams per kilogram of material in the remaining samples. Zinc was present in 13 of the 2 j samples, the maximum quantity being 108 milligrams per kilogram. Analytical data are given for 2 7 samples of fresh fruits and fruit juices, 23 of jams and jellies prepared it1 the laboratory, and also of the fruits and juices from which they were made, and for samples of commercial products as follows : Jams 86, jellies 44, canned fruits 74, brandied fruits 7 , fruit butter 3 , and solid marmalades 3. The average analyses of the fresh fruits and fruit juices are given in part in the table below : COMPOSITIOKOF FRUITS AND FRUIT TUICES. Total solids. Per cent.
Blackberry.. ........ I 2.63 Blackberry juice .... 7.30 Cherry 12.64 Cherry juice . . . . . . . . . . . . ............ Currant. '2.97 Currant juice 6.71 Black raspberry. .... 20.32 Black raspberry juice I I $60 Red raspberry 13.28 Red raspberry juice. 6.98 Strawberry 8.74 Strawberry juice 6. I 2
.............
.......
......
......... ....
acidity as Protein Reducing CaneAsh. HzS04. ( N x6.25). sugar. sugar. Per cent. P e r cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent.
0.585 0.382
0.602
0.553 0.602 0.454 0.812
0.687 0.539 0.517 0.619 0.492
0.638 0.704 1.627 1.465 1.546 1.642 0.774 0.794 1.104 1.120
0.915 0.834
0.9'9 0.246 0.650 0.388 1.369 0.300 1.212
0.253 0.975 0.397 0.588 0. I 16
.4.67 ..
0.16
6.84
....
none
3.44
....
none
6.19 7.56 3.52 3.64 3.22 3.30
none none 0.80
.... .... ....
0.46 0.23
Agriculturai Chemistry.
I95
Of the commercial products, 53 samples of jams and 1 3 of jellies contained glucose but were not so labeled, and of these 33 were artificially colored. Of the remaining jams and jellies, 27 were purchased as compounds. No adulterants were detected in the brandied fruits. The alcohol content of 4 samples was about 1 7 per cent. In general, the adulterants found in the products examined are considered as subject to criticism on the ground of deception rather than because of their being prejudicial to health. The analyses of the adulterated products were submitted to the manufacturers before publication and their replies in substance are incorporated in the bulletin. The microscopical examination of fruits and fruit products is discussed by Howard, plates from photographs and drawings illustrating histological characteristics of several fruits being appended. H. W. LAWSON. Food Adulteration. BY F. W. TRAPHAGEN.Mont. Agr. Expt. S a . Bull. No. 38, 24 pp.-In this bulletin are given the results of examinations of over 2 0 0 samples of canned soups, tomato catsups, jams, jellies, and preserves, cereal breakfast foods, baking-powders, vinegars, and other products on sale in the state. In tests made at the station during the past year, the author states that salicylic acid in extremely small quantities has been found almost constantly present in fresh fruits (see this Journal, 25, 242). The distribution of benzoic acid in fruits and vegetables is also being investigated. H. W. LAWSON.
The Chemical Composition of Food Preservatives. BY J. B. WEEMSAND I. J. MEAD. l a . Agr. Expt. Sta. Bull. No. 67, pp. 259-~65.--The authors have collected and analyzed a number of mixtures sold under proprietary names as food preservatives. A brand called “A” was found to consist of 34 per cent. of sodium chloride and 66 per cent. of borax. A brand sold as a milk preservative and designated “M” was found to consist of 2 0 per cent. of borax and 80 per cent. of boric acid. Preservaline Butter Powder,” sold at 5 0 cents a pound, proved to be ordinary cooking soda. An analysis of Freezine ” showed a 5.47 per cent. solution of formaldehyde. The price of this material was $ I per quart. (‘ Cider and Fruit Preservative,” offered a t $ 1 . 7 5 per pound, proved to be salicylic acid. ’‘ Cream Albuminoid” claimed to give cream that much-desired rich and heavy substance which it frequently lacks,” was found to consist of 15 per cent. of borax, 25 per cent. of boric acid, and 60 per cent. of gelatin. The extravagant claims of the producers of many of such substances are quoted. H. W. LAWSON. Solutions for Testing Cream and Ililk. BY J. B. WEEMS A N D C. E. GRAY.l a . Agr. Exfit. Sta. Bull. No. 67, pp. 266-272.Suggestions are made concerning the use of standard solutions by ( I
196
Review of American Chemical Research.
dairymen in testing the acidity of milk and cream. Solutions prepared from alkaline tablets sold for this purpose were found to have strengths from 12.4 to 14.8 per cent. greater than a tenthnormal solution. Repeated freezing and thawing of a tenthnormal solution produced no change in its strength. Observations are given on the change in strength of standard solutions exposed to the atmosphere, Lime-water prepared at temperatures of about 66' F. had a strength of about 45 per cent. of a tenthnormal solution. H. W. LAWSON.
The Exact Calculation of Balanced Rations. BY J . T. WILLARD. K a m . Agr. Expt. S f a . Bzill. N o . rr5, pp. 97-146.T h e author's method, which is based upon the balancing of feeding-stuffs two by two by the principles of alligation, is described in detail, and tables are given showing the digestible ingredients in feeding-stuffs, feeding standards, nutritive ratios of different feeding-stuffs with factors for determining the number of pounds required to furnish I pound of protein, and over 2 , 1 0 0 balanced mixtures each consisting of two materials. H . \f-. L A W S O N . Experiments on the Metabolism of Nitrogen, Sulphur, and Phosphorus in the Human Organism. BY H.C.SHERIIAN. U. S. Depf. Agr., O$ce of Expf. Stas. Bull. h'o. r a i , 47 pp.I n the ten experiments reported i n this bulletin the digestibility of the nutrients in a bread-and-milk diet was determined and the comparative metabolism of nitrogen, sulphur, and phosphorus was studied. The author was the subject of the experiments. T h e percentage of protein actually digested was 95.4. I t was not appreciably influenced by loss of sleep but was increased 0.7 on a restricted diet as compared with a liberal diet of the same composition. Marked loss of sleep increased the elimination of nitrogen, sulphur, and phosphorus, the increase of sulphur being proportional to that of nitrogen while the phosphorus was slightly higher. The results are published as a progress report and are not considered as warranting broad generalizations. One object of the work was to secure data regarding methods of work and possible sources of error. H . W.LAWSON. Report of the Chemists. BY I,. A . VOOKHEESA N D J. P. STREET. N. J . Agr. Expf. S f a . Rep., 1901, pp. 1j--210.--This includes analyses of commercial fertilizers and feeding-stuffs, determinations by a potassium permanganate method of the availability of organic nitrogen in thirty-one classes of fertilizing materials, data concerning losses sustained by barnyard manure when allowed to leach, results of tests with field crops of the relative availability of nitrogen in different forms, and a very complete review of investigations concerning denitrification. Taking the nitrogen recovered by oats and corn as IOO in the case of nitrate of soda the relative availability of nitrogen in the other
Patents.
I97
forms compared was as follows : Sulphate of ammonia, 87.75 ; dried blood, 73-07 ; fresh solid manure, 26.36 ; leached solid manure, 21.99 ; fresh solid and liquid manure, 51.46 ; and leached solid and liquid manure, 35.91. H. W. LAWSON.
Bacteria of the Soil in Their Relation to Agriculture. BY F. D. CHESTER. Pa. Dept. Agr. Bull. No. 9 8 , 88 pp.-This is a summary of present knowledge relating to soil bacteriology. The elements and sources of plant food, nature and origin of soils, number, distribution, and significance of bacteria in the soil, chemical changes produced by soil bacteria, and the assimilation of atmospheric nitrogen are topics considered. A bibliography is appended. H. W. LAWSON. . Report of Analyses of Paris Green and Other Insecticides in 1902. BY L. I,. VAN SLYKE AND W. H. ANDREWS. N. Y. (State) Agr. Expt. Sta. Bull. No. 222, pp. 265-268.-Analyses are given of 44 samples of Paris green collected during 1932 and representing 23 different manufacturers. The total arsenious oxide varied from 55.39 to 61.40 per cent., and averaged 57.10 per cent.; the water-soluble arsenious oxide varied from 0.61 to 1.35 per cent., and averaged 1.01 per cent.; the copper oxide varied from 27.03 to 30.79 per cent., and averaged 29.41 per cent. ; and the arsenious oxide in combination with copper varied from 50.63 to 57.60 per cent., and averaged 55.10 per cent. The general results are considered as showing a good quality of Paris green on the market at the time the samples were taken. H. W. LAWSON.
PATENTS. AUGUST 26, 1902. 707,833. Same as above but adds resorcin to the reaction mixture. A blackish powder sparingly soluble in cold water. 707,886. Johan G. Wiborg and Wilhelm Palmaer, Stockholm, Sweden. Manure. Apatite or other phosphate is placed in an electrolytic cell with a salt solution adapted to liberate an acid at the anode, forming a soluble salt with lime, while a t the cathode a basic hydroxide is formed, the acid dissolving the phosphate and precipitating the same in the alkaline liquid of the cathode in a soluble form. 707,889. Alfred Wohl, Charlottenburg, Germany. Extracting sugar. Mixes molasses with an alkaline oxide, aqueous solution, adds lead protoxide, allows to stand till a viscous mass has formed and washes with water at 40°, filter pressing and washing the contents with water first a t 40°, then gradually raised to 75' C., decomposing the lead sucrate, separating the precipitate and concentrating the liquor, adding calcium hydroxide, carbonating at 60' to goo C. and filtering.
