Rigid rules are in force to govern the sale of both renovated butter and oleomargarine, in order to protect the butter industry. The controversy which has existed for many years concerning oleomargarine and butter is unfortunate, as each might well have its proper place in the trade. The tax placed upon oleomargarine has increased the price to the consumer for this perfectly wholesome and nutritious product.

Nut Margarine. There have quite recently appeared upon the market a number of brands of nut margarines. These products consist chiefly of cocoanut fat, with admixtures of cottonseed or other vegetable oils. The fats are churned with milk* and salted, as in the preparation of butter. Color capsules accompany the package for the use of the consumer if he desires to color the product. It is not colored by the manufacturer as he is required to conform to regulations similar to those governing the sale of oleomargarine. The coloring we have found to be the vegetable color annatto, which is largely used for butter coloring.

Our analyses of some of these products are given in Table IV. The analyses show some variation in water content but none contains excessive amount. All contain over 82.5% of fat. The ash varies considerably, due, in all cases, to the salt added. The free fatty acids are within normal limits for these products. Other tests must be interpreted with the knowledge that hydrogenation modifies them very materially. Nos. 8169 and 8170 are declared to contain 0.1% of benzoate of soda; they did not contain amounts in excess of this figure. No. 8168 made no statement as regards preservative; no preservative was found.

The diagnosis of mixtures of this kind is more difficult for the reason that hydrogenation changes the chemical as well as the physical properties of fats, so that their response to the usual tests is either modified or destroyed.

As we have stated elsewhere in this paper, nut margarines are supposedly composed of vegetable fats only, while in oleomargarine animal fats are used, with or without fats of vegetable origin. As in the case of cooking fats, we have looked particularly for evi

The flavor of butter is due to the action of lactic acid-forming bacteria in the milk from which it is churned. Nut margarine fats are ripened with milk to which a culture of such bacteria has been added to impart the flavor of butter. [Pickard. The Am. Food Jour., Jan. 1918.]

Nucoa Butter Co.,

Downey Farrell

Co., Chicago...10.84 1.25 4.5183.40 0.45 40.07.00 Deep pink Brown

8169 Cocoanut Brand,

Soho Park, N. J. 6.53 0.69 1.5891.20 0.39 37.27.50 Yellow

Brown

8170 Providence Churn

ing Co., Prov., R. I. 11.28 0.751.1486.83 0.47 39.06.15 Yellow

Yellow

dence of animal fats in the nut margarines but with negative results. There is nothing shown by our analyses inconsistent with the claim that they are vegetable products. They are very palatable preparations and may well be substituted for a part of the family butter supply, thereby conserving animal fats.

MILK-BUTTER MIXTURE.

The present is a fruitful time for invention and device designed to appeal to public economy. Such a device is one advertised of late, for which it is claimed that two pounds of butter or table butter can be made from one pound of butter and one pint of milk. While the fine distinction is made that you start with butter and milk and produce "table" butter, no distinction is made between the commercial values of the two substances. Both the expressed and implied thought is that from one pound of butter at (say) 55 cents per pound and one pint (pound) of milk at 7 cents per pint, two pounds of butter or "table" butter are produced, valued at $1.10.

Halphen test.

Nitric Acid test.

I lb. Butter

The true story of this economic idea may be simply told by the

85 parts solids, 15 parts water,
82.5 parts fat.

I lb. Milk'

12 parts solids, 88 parts water,
4.0 parts fat.

2 lbs. Milk-Butter

mixture

97 parts solids, 103 parts water,
86.5 parts fat.

or per lb. mixture 48.5 parts solids, 51.5 parts wa-
ter, 43.3 parts fat.

1 One pint of milk may be called one pound. Basis of 4.5% sugar and 2.8% protein.

Whatever the finished product is called, it is watered butter, as a comparison of the composition and food value of the finished product with the original shows. As to the commercial value of the product, if it is worth the combined value of the ingredients, 62 cents, then the cost to the consumer per 100 calories is practically the same as in the original butter, 1.6 cents; if it is worth $1.10, then the consumer pays nearly twice as much; viz., 2.9 cents per 100 calories. The two pounds of mixture will "go as far" as two pounds of butter in the same sense that a pint of milk diluted with a pint of water will go as far as a quart of milk. The same economy will be effected by drinking the pint of milk and serving half portions of butter. This device may be looked upon as an ingenious method for serving half portions.

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