Page:Food and cookery for the sick and convalescent.djvu/86

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54
FOOD AND COOKERY.

Matzoon may be purchased in all cities and large towns of the leading druggists. Home-made Koumiss (p. 74) is most satisfactory.

Ways of preserving Milk.

1. By scalding.
2. By pasteurization.
3. By sterilization.
4. By condensation.
5. By evaporation.

Adulteration.

The adulteration of milk is far less frequent than formerly, as inspection, under law, is liable to take place at any time.

Where adulteration takes place it is accomplished, most commonly, by the removal of some of the cream or the addition of water. Salt, sugar, chalk, and starch are less often employed as adulterants. Annatto, caramel, or aniline dyes are used for coloring, that the product may look as though it were of the best quality.

Milk sours so quickly during warm weather that preservatives have often been resorted to to overcome this bacterial action. Among these have been found borax, boracic acid, salicylic acid, benzoic acid, potassium chromate, and carbonate of soda.

While these adulterants and preservatives are not poisonous when taken in the milk for an indefinite period, they are deleterious to health.

Massachusetts authorities prohibit the sale of "not of standard quality" milk as well as of adulterated milk; while other states have equally stringent laws. The following statute defines standard milk:—"If the milk is shown upon analysis to contain less than thirteen per cent of milk solids, or to contain less than nine and three-tenths per cent of milk solids exclusive of fat, it shall be deemed for the purposes of this act