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Coffee and Chicory.—Chicory and Coffee containing 75 parts of the
former to 25 of the latter. Vendor cautioned.
Coffee and Chicory (five samples).—These samples contained respectively
75 per cent., 60 per cent., 60 per cent., 70 per cent. and
65 per cent. of Chicory. The Public Analyst's opinion was
that the name of a dominating ingredient in a mixture should
come first. The Solicitor's opinion was that as the Inspectors
had asked for a mixture and they received it, and as there is
no fixed standard as to the respective proportions of Coffee
and Chicory, proceedings could not be successfully institutad
unless evidence could be called that there was a recognised
commercial standard with reference to the proper proportion
of Coffee and Chicory.
The Committee were of opinion a standard should be adopted for such
mixtures or other means taken for the protection of the purchaser, and
recommended to the Council that a representation on the subject be made
to the Local Government Board.
Lime Water.—Deficient in lime to the extent of 90.8 per cent. No
action taken on account of declaration at time of purchase.
Lemonade.—Lemonade the acidity of which consisted solely of
phosphoric acid and containing a trace of metallic impurity
equivalent to 0 008 of tin in 10 ounces.
Lemonade.—Lemonade containing a trace of impurity equivalent to
0 01 grains of tin in 10 ounces.
There being no standard nor definition as to how "Lemonade" is to
be manufactured, no legal proceedings were instituted in respect of the
sample acidified by phosphoric acid and not by citric acid.*
*No doubt lemonade should consist of aerated water acidulated with citric acid and
sweetened with sugar, but there is no objection to its being acidulated with phosphoric
acid and flavoured with essence of lemons, providing the phosphoric acid is made from
pure phosphorus by burning it in air, care being taken during the whole process of
manufacture and distilled water only being used Metallic contamination in lemonade
and other saccharine beverages is no doubt due to the use in their manufacture of
glacial acetic acid made by distillation from acetate of sodium and sulphuric acid and
also acids which are manufactured by treating calcined bones with sulphuric acid or by
boiling phosphorus and nitric acid with water. Nitric acid is also made with sulphuric
acid, and this last acid is liable to contain arsenic and other metallic impurities. Of
course acetic acid can be used and prepared from wood by destructive distillation and
purification, and there is no objection to using it, but it is an inferior tonic to phosphoric
acid, which, as mentioned above, is best prepared and less likely to contain metallic