HOW THE PUBLIC ARE FOOLED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 291, 1 May 1913, Page 4

HOW THE PUBLIC ARE FOOLED.

In dealing with food adulteration a Christchurch confectioner remarked to a | Press correspondent that he had never,. seen so many "painted goods" until he came to Christchurch. He referred to yellow confectionery and other edibles exhibited for sale with an eye for The main thoroughfares' of the town were traversed, and note taken of the more glaring examples of colored foodstuffs. The correspondent points out—and the fact may be of interest to local vendors—that "adulteration" consists in adding something to food to make it appear of greater value than jt really is, and he suggests that the addition of dyes to food and drink come under the head of "adulteration," and •as such should be punishable by law. There may be one or two exceptions, such as butter, anchovy sauce, and so on, but this does not affect the main contention that the addition of coloring to food is an adulteration. The correspondent goes on to say: "The finest examples of 'painted food' were provided by the confectioners and butchers. Exposed for sale in one window were penny cakes of such a hue and size that it would take quite a number of egg yolks to,attain the rich golden, color they displayed. Eggs at the present time arc worth more than iy 3 d each. Nor is the color due to saffron, as might be imagined. Saffron flavors as well as colors, and however pleasant it may be in the crust of a meat pie, it is out of place in a lemoncake. The same coloring was seen in the British penny bun. Egg yolk not only colors, but alters the texture of the confectionery in which it is' used. These penny buns retained their old bready look, yet exhibited a tinge similar to curry powder. A grocer's window arrested the attention of the passerby—a mound of lollies labelled, 'AH sorts, fid lb.' What gorgeous hues they had. and with what lavish hand had the orange and red ami yellow dyes been used! It is not known what the effect of the dye is on the body when taken internally, but it is a fact that it has been considered so deleterious that the use of dyes is forbidden in England, France and Germany. Aerated waters of certain brands look like chemists' signals. How often the lips and fingers of children dye a lovely red with the so-called raspberry that contains no raspberry, but orris root and Bengal red! This excessive color is also seen in many makes of jelly crystals. These jelly crystals are pulverised gelatine, sugar, tartaric acid flavor and dye, and if mixed with a small quantity of water would make colored ink, so great is the quantity of dye used.' In the butchers' windows, especially pork butchers, there was noticed a goodly array of startling reds, from the imitation smoke color of the saveloy to the imitation beef color of the German sausage. A few years ago butchers did not dye the inside of the sausage; they were content with dyeing the outside. Now their generosity deals out pink die with a lavish hand, and the German sausage'leaves a pink stain on the plate. Lately such a prodigality of color as prevailed formerly has not been noticed; perhaps it is used with greater judgment. The saveloy at one time owed its color to smoke. The contents of fresh sausages are now dyed, and have been for a number of years, by certain butchers. This enables them to produce a meaty-looking article, compounded of fat, bread and red dye. I have seen minced meat at 4d per lb, which owed its prime raw beef appearance to red dye."