1826.] on the Art of Baking Bread. 171 



sugar of flaur thus obtained by him differ, however, so widely 

 from those which it has been found to possess by other and 

 more skilful chetmists, that it must be confessed, it seems neceS* 

 sary to receive this part of his statement with considerable 

 qualification. 



Since the presence of a saccharine constituent in flour is thm 

 clearly established, and that to no inconsiderable extent, being 

 not less than to the amount of five per cent, according to the 

 several analyses just quoted ; and since the alcoholic ferment^ 

 ation of sugar is one of perfect familiarity to the chemist, th*6 

 characteristics of which correspond with the fermentation iti 

 dough, in the rapidity with which it commences, the activity 

 with which it continues, and considering the usual amount of 

 the sugar, the period during which it lasts, there would seem 

 little room left to doubt wherein consists the true fermentation 

 which occurs in the art of bread-making. 



But the results of the following very simple experiisaetft, 

 which has been repeatedly performed with the same success, 

 would seem still further to settle the point, and indeed to pliiCfe 

 the matter beyond the reach of controversy. After suffering 

 the fermentative process to exhaust itself in a mass of dough, 

 and the dough to be brought into that situation in which the 

 addition of neither yeast, nor starch, nor gluten, had produced 

 any effect on a similarly ex-fermented mass, I tried the renewal 

 of a little yeast to the dough, along with a small addition o{the 

 other constituent of the flour, the saccharine principle. On 

 adding common refined- sugar in these circumstances to the 

 amount of four per cent, the process of fermentation immediately 

 recommenced, and in its appearance, activity, and duration, was 

 just a repetition of the previously-exhausted process of ferment- 

 ation. After a lapse of about the same period, it, in the same 

 manner, totally ceased. 



It is difficult not to look upon this experiment, especially 

 when taken in connexion with the others lately stated^ as com- 

 pletely decisive of the question, that the ordinary bread-ferment- 

 ation is the simple and well-known process of the alcoholiti 

 fermentation of sugar. If any thing could be added to confitm 

 this, it is the fact, that the mere addition of sugar, as above, to 

 an ex-fermented mass, without being coupled with any other 

 substance, produced a renewal of the process of fermentation in 

 the dough. In this case, however, as might have been expected 



Ob. Dr. 



Starch 10 



Bran S 



Gluten 6 



, lii Sugar 2 



Ivoss in grinding ..,,;.,^,^fl|i^.^,^., . .. ..2 



