The number of coffee substitutes on the market is large. Many of these are sold under this name and others are simply designated as substitutes. Sample No. 8852 was sold as a coffee substitute. It is composed largely of chicory (50 to 75 per cent), with wheat, and peas or beans.

There is no objection to the so-called coffee substitutes, provided they are sold as such and do not contain harmful ingredients. All substitutes should be sold in packages, bearing labels distinctly stating their composition.

Conclusion

The examination of the coffees and coffee preparations on our markets shows that the consumers, and especially the poor, are being grossly deceived. Very little pure ground coffee is sold, and even whole coffee does not escape sophistication. The purchase of green coffee for home roasting does not insure a pure product, since even the green coffee is imitated. Stringent laws are certainly needed to suppress these frauds.

That there is a large demand for imitation coffee is evidenced by the fact of its importation from Germany. The manufacture of these coffees in imitation of the form of the genuine bean should be interdicted, even if the product is to be sold as a substitute.