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39
Some twenty years ago a standard for the acetous
strength of commercial vinegar was fixed by the Society
of Public Analysts. As a bottom-limit line the Society
fixed 3 per cent, of acetic anhydride. Now, 3 per
cent. of acetic anhydride is the same as 3.53 per
cent. of real acetic acid. This standard of 3 per cent.
was subsequently agreed to by the Government Laboratory
; but, owing to some confusion, the Government
Laboratory fixed as the bottom-limit 3 per cent. of the
real acetic acid—thus lowering by some 18 per cent. the
very low line already drawn by the Society of Public
Analysts as a bottom-limit. It has since been practically
useless for a public analyst to advise the prosecution of
these diluted vinegars unless they have been watered down
distinctly below 3 per cent. of the real acetic acid. The
result would be that the vinegar-seller would ask for the
reserve portion to be referred to the Government Laboratory,
it would be reported as "genuine vinegar," and the
prosecution would fail. But the result has been that the
cheap vinegar makers water down their vinegars to just
above this 3 per cent. bottom-limit before they send them
out to the retailer. In this way the nominal prices are
cut down, the purchaser gets a larger bottle of vinegar
to carry home, and the manufacturers of unwatered vinegars
are placed at a commercial disadvantage. To the consumer
the price of watered vinegar is not cut down to the full
extent of the watering. Part goes in extra profit to the
brewer, part is spent in the extra cost of barrelling and
transporting, etc., and only a part goes into a lowering of
price.
If two barrels of a 6 per cent. vinegar be watered down
to three barrels, we get a 4 per cent. vinegar; but as that
is considerably above the bottom-limit of the Government
Laboratory, the fraud cannot be checked. If two barrels
of 6 per cent. vinegar are watered down to nearly four
barrels, we get a vinegar which is just above the bottomlimit,
and the vendor is still safe. But if, this having been
done by the manufacturer, the process is repeated by the