MEANS OF DETECTING ADULTERATION ON FLOUR.

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 387, 5 November 1874, Page 2

MEANS OF DETECTING ADULTERATION ON FLOUR.

The greater extent to which flour ia adulterated is j well known, ami therefore to possess a knowledge of how to detect the several most common modes of adulteration is of no slight importance. The subst uicea with which flour is most frequently adulterated .no— Plaster of Paris, the dust of burnt bones, pe:> oi- hp.iii meal, and potato-flour. An easy general in xie of tpsting the pm-ity of flour is to squeeze it in the hand The coliesiveness of wheat-flour is yeiy great, and consequently the lump so squeezed in the hand will be a longer time before it breaks and fails if wheaten flour than if the flour be adulterated. Plaster of Paris, dust of burnt bones, and potato-flour are all so much heavier than wheaten flour that adulteration by them may be easily detected. A sack which will contain 2cwt of wheat-flour will hold 3cwt of potato-flour, so that, should the flour be adulterated with any amount of potato-flour, it may be detected by means of its weight. Should pea or bean meal be mixed with the ilour, it may be detected, if in any considerable quantity, by pouring boiling water on a cupful of the flour, or by toasting a piece of bread made of it, the odour of the pea or bean being sure to rise while the meal or bread is hot. Adulteration by means of the flour of inferior grains is more difficult of detection, but may be ascertained by pouring upon a spoonful of flour a little pure spirits of hartshorn. If the flour be wholly of wheat, the hartshorn will render it of a yellow colour, but if it be adulterated with other corn the hartshorn will turn it to pale brown, and if it be adulterated with pea or beanflour it will become a darker bi'own. Adulteration by means of potato-flour may be detected by means of acids. Take a spoonful and pour upon it a little nitric acid ; if the flour be of wheat, it will be changed to an orange yellow ; if wholly of potatoflour the colour would not be altered, but the flour funned into a tenacious jelly ; if, therefore, the flour be adulterated with potato-flour, it will not be difficult to decide. Again, take a spoonful of the flour, and pour upon it a little muriatic acid ; if the flour be of pure wheat, it will be changed to a deep violet colour, without odour ; but if potato-flour be mixed in it, it will then have an odour like that of rushes.