364 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



FOODS— HUMAN NUTRITION. 



The milling value of water-soaked wheat, G. A. Olson {Amer. Food Jour., 

 6 {1911), No. //. pp. S6-S!). figs. .'/). — Tbe effect of soaking and germination on 

 the distribution and yield of milling products, the quality of flour, and bread- 

 making properties was studied. 



According to the author's conclusions, "wheat which has been allowed to 

 sprout loses in weight as the length of the time allowed for germination ad- 

 vances. 



"The milling value of germinated v^heat decreases as the length of the 

 epicotyl increases. 



"The length of time required for the conversion of starch decreases as the 

 length of the epicotyl increases to at least twice the length of the kernel." 



It was found that the amount cf gluten recovered in flour from germinated 

 wheat was less than that from ungerminated grain. The yield of gluten de- 

 creased rapidly as the epicotyl increased in length. 



"Expressed in percentage of total nitrogen, the alcohol-soluble nitrogen has 

 not been affected by the germination of wheat. The most marked changes 

 were observetl in the gluteniu and amid nitrogen. In the former there was 

 a sudden decrease in amount from the period where the epicotyl was equal 

 to the length of the kernel to that where the epicotyl was equal to twice the 

 length of the kernel. The amid nitrogen increased rapidly from the time when 

 the epicotyl was equal to the length of the kernel. 



"Using germinated wheat flour, only the quality of the crumb of the bread 

 was impaired, being particularly noticeable in flours made from germinated 

 wheat where the epicotyl was equal to and twice the length of the kernel. The 

 volume of the loaf inci'eased, being of exceptionally large capacity in the bread 

 made from partially germinated wheat floui'. 



"Using small quantities of germinated wheat flour with other flour it was 

 found that the volume of the loaf could be increased without impairing the 

 texture of the loaf. Each particular flour requires a different amount of germi- 

 nated flour in order to produce the best results. Too large an amount of 

 diastatic flour is less beneficial than none. 



"A water-soaked wheat is not necessarily spoiled and can be used for milling 

 purposes, providing it has been thoroughly cleaned and dried." 



On the chemical changes produced in flour by bleaching, G. W. Monier- 

 WiLLiAMs (Rpts. Local Govt. Bd. [Gt. Brit.]. Pub. Health and Med. Suijs., 

 n. sen, 1911, No. ^9, pp. 3.'i-G5, dgms. 6; rev. in Brit. Med. Jour., 1911, No. 

 262Ii, pp. S81, 882). — Experimental studies were made on the effects of bleach- 

 ing flour with different quantities of nitrous oxid gas. Especial attention was 

 paid to experimental methods, to the characteristics of the oil from bleached 

 and unbleached flour, to the influence of bleaching upon digestion, and related 

 matters. The nitrous oxid used was prepared in the laboratory. 



Air containing nitrogen peroxid in quantities up to 300 cc. per kilogram of 

 flour affects flour in ways which the author summarizes as follows: 



"The golden-yellow tint of the flour is destroyed. Immediately after bleach- 

 ing no difference in tint due to excess of the bleaching agent could be observed 

 with Lovibond's tintometer, but on keeping for several days the more highly 

 bleached samples became decidedly yellow, while those treated with 30 to 100 

 cc. of nitrogen peroxid per kilogram became still whiter, the maximum of 

 ' bleaching effect being attained within these limits. 



"The amount of nitrous acid or nitrites present in a freshly bleached flour 

 is approximately proportional to the amount of nitrogen peroxid employed, and 



