FOODS — HtTMAN NtJTRITIOlT. 667 



Stronger flours one may use larger quantities or extracts with a greater diges- 

 tive power." 



TJie effects of the addition of acids, enzyms, and 2 sorts of bacteria isolated 

 from flour were studied with a view to determining their effect when normally 

 present in doughs.- "Proteolytic enzyms had a very marked effect upon the 

 gluten when introduced into a dough. They had to be used in very small quan- 

 tities or the dough would become runuy and sticky. As little as one part to 

 4,000 parts of flour produced a noticeable effect, and when used in larger quan- 

 tities it was decidedly harmful. While it was not possible to improve bread by 

 adding them, the experiments did show, however, why flours that had germi- 

 nated and certain malt extracts with a high proteolytic power are not suitable 

 for making bread. Acids, when added to a dough, have a marked ' shortening ' 

 effect upon the gluten, and up to a certain strength, dei>ending upon the flour, 

 they shorten the period of fei'mentation somewhat. In excess, they are de- 

 cidedly harmful, for they weaken the flour and produce bread which resembles 

 that made with impure yeast." 



In no case did the bacteria studied retard the action of the yeast. " In all 

 cases they had a ' shortening ' effect upon the gluten, and hence shortened some- 

 what the period of fermentation. In general, the bread made by the addition 

 of bacteria was smaller in volume and closer grained, approaching more nearly 

 homemade bread." 



The studies with salt-rising bread noted above were continued. The author 

 found that with this method of bread making the losses were 0.46 per cent as 

 compared with 1.81 per cent in the case of yeast bread put into pans at once 

 upon mixing the dough, and 5.15 per cent in yeast bread normally fermented. 

 The greater loss in yeast bread is in part due to the longer fermentation period 

 required. 



In salt-rising bread, according to the author, no alcohol is produced, and 

 nearly two-thirds of the gas produced is hydrogen. He states that the method 

 of making salt-rising bread with pure cultures of the bacterium isolated has 

 given satisfactory results on a commercial scale. 



In connection with an attempt to devise a method of saving stale bread, ex- 

 periments were made to see whether it could not be used in place of cooked flour 

 in bread making to improve the yeast growth. The bread was ground, cooked 

 with about 5 times its weight of water, cooled to about 131°, and submitted to 

 the action of malt extract. The starch was first liquefied and then converted 

 for the most part into sugar and dextrin, the gluten remaining in small flakes. 

 It was proposed to use the sugar thus formed as part of the liquid in the next 

 day's baking instead of cane sugar or malt extract. The separated gluten when 

 dried, the author considers, may have some value as a diabetic food or for some 

 similar purpose. 



[Maize starch product in bread making], A. P. Pfeil (Nat. Baker, 14 

 (1909), No. 161, PI). 5.'t, 56). — Preliminary experiments are reported on the value 

 of gelatinized starch, in connection with small quantities of malt extract, in 

 bread making to insure vigorous growth of the yeast, which depends in large 

 measure upon an abundance of sugar or sugar-yielding matter. 



Analyses of banana flour, J. A. Berthet (Bol. Agr. [Sao Paulo], 12. 

 ser., 1911, No. 2, pp. 127, 128). — Analyses of 2 samples are reported. 



Chestnut flour, G. Leoncini and C. Manetti (Staz. 8per. Agr. Ital., 44 

 (1911), No. 1, pp. 66-83).— Analyses are reported of 8 samples of chestnut flour, 

 and its nutritive value discussed. 



Peculiar spoiling' of Brazil nuts, Kxjhl (Pharm. Zentralhalle, 51 (1910), 

 No. 6, p. 106; abs. in Ztschr. Untersuch. Nahr. u. Oenussmtl., 21 (1911), 

 No. 10, pp. 629, 630). — The spoiled nuts showed the presence of Aspergillus 



