Artificial coffee beans are apparent from their exact regularity of
form. Roasted legumes and lumps of chicory, when present in whole
roasted coffee, can be picked out and identified microscopically. In the
case of ground coffee, sprinkle some of the sample on cold water and
stir lightly. Fragments of pure coffee, if not over-roasted, will float;
while fragments of chicory, legumes, cereals, etc., will sink
immediately, chicory coloring the water a decided brown. In all cases
identify the particles that sink by microscopical examination.