356 EXPERIMENT STATION" EECOED. 



On certain changes in the composition of the nitrogenous constituents of 

 meat extracts, A. M. Weight (Jour. Soc. Chem. Indus., 30 {1911), No. 20, pp. 

 1197, 1198). — The author has studied the character aud extent of the changes 

 which meat extract undergoes during the process of manufacture and compared 

 the composition of extract concentrated in an open pan and that concentrated 

 under partial vacuum, with the original liquor. 



" As but very small amounts of i>eptone-like bodies are present in vacuum- 

 concentrated extract, and but little change in the composition of the nitrogenous 

 bodies is found, it is probable that the prolonged action of heat on the nitroge- 

 nous material in the presence of the normal flesh acids and salts, the amounts 

 of which increase as the evaporation proceeds, is the cause of the marked 

 change in composition found in the open pan concentrated extract. The so- 

 called ' burned ' flavor, sometimes noticed in meat extracts, is doubtless due 

 to the same cause, for in vacuum concentrated extract no such undesirable 

 flavor is noted." 



The paper is followed by a discussion. 



The food value of sea mussels, I. A. Field {TJ. S. Depf. Com. and Labor, 

 Bur. Fishenes Bui., 29 {1909), pp. 85-128, pis. 8, figs. 2).— A fuller account of 

 investigations previously noted (E. S. R.. 25, p. 163). 



The baking qualities of flour as influenced by certain chemical substances, 

 milling by-products, and germination of the wheat, J. T. Willard and C. O. 

 SwANSON {Trans. Eans. Acad. Sci., 23-2Jf {1909-10), pp. 201-207).— The ex- 

 periments showed that uuextracted bran caused a deterioration in the loaf 

 with respect to both volume and texture, as compared with a check test in 

 which starch equal in weight to the bran was added. Extracted bran exer- 

 cised a less marked effect on loaf texture, while the volume exceeded that of a 

 loaf in which starch was used. The loaf in which the extract from 40 gm. of 

 bran was used was best of all. 



On the whole, extracts derived from wheat scourings were undesirable. 

 The doughs produced were sticky, the bad effects being the more pronounced 

 the greater the quantity of extract. 



When peptones in amounts from 0.1 to 1 gm. were added little effect was 

 observed, but larger quantities affected both texture and volume unfavorably 

 and there was a decided stickiness in the dough. Glycocoll was very pro- 

 nounced in its effects, producing a dough which was sticky, runny, and 

 stringj% resembling that made from flour from badly germinated wheat. The 

 loaf volume was decidedly reduced and the texture impaired. Leucin exer- 

 cised similar though less pronounced effects and caused the development of a 

 very disagreeable odor. Aspartic acid had little effect but was beneficial 

 rather than otherwise. Asparagin was injurious in its effect. " While it 

 caused a shortening of the time of rising, probably by a stimulation of the 

 growth of the yeast, it weakened the gluten, thus decreasing the oven expan- 

 sion and loaf volume. Similar effects are observed with flour from germinated 

 wheat, and asparagin is well known as one of the products of the proteid 

 metabolism accompanying germination." 



Of the ammonium salts tried ammonium chlorid exercised so marked an 

 effect that the quantities used were reduced to a minimum of 0.025 gm. This 

 amount and quantities up to at least 16 times as much exercised a decidedly 

 beneficial effect on texture and loaf volume, the salt apparently assisting the 

 growth of the yeast, since the period of rising was shortened. Ammonium 

 acetate had a similar though less marked effect. In larger amounts it lowered 

 the quality of the loaf with respect to texture. Ammonium tartrate and am- 

 monium phosphate exercised very slight effects. Sodium bicarbonate was dis- 

 tinctly detrimental, increasing the time of rising and diminishing the volume 



