Foods — human nutritiox. 



59 



" Increase of iron in the tliet witiiout a corresiiondin;; increase of protein is 

 readily acconiplislied l)y "Aie use of vegetables, fruits, and the coarser mill prod- 

 ucts of the cereal grai' s. In the experimental dietary here reported the free 

 use of such foods witt. milk but without meat or eggs resulted in an increase 

 of .HO per cent in the iron content of the diet, while the protein, the fuel value, 

 and the cost remained practically the same as in the ordinary mixed diet 

 obtained under the same market conditions." 



The distribution of phosphorus in food materials, Balland {Jour. Phanii. 

 ct Cliini., a. xc/-.. 23 (19(11). .Yo. 7, [>[>. !)-12). — A lirief summary of results of a 

 large number of determinations of the phosphorus content of food materials. 

 According to the author the phosphorus estimated as P2O5 varied from 0.65 to 

 1.11 per cent in commercial wheat. The same values were found in oats. In 

 maize, millet, barley, rye, and buckwheat the maximum was about 0.8 per cent. 

 No values were determined for unpolished rice, but in the i)olished material 

 the proportion was o.2.~> per cent. Data are also given regarding the distribu- 

 tion of phosphorus in milling i)roducts, a number of vegetable foods, fruits, 

 meat, cheese, and other foods. 



The distribution of sulphur in foods, Balland {Jour. Plianii. ct ChUn.. 6. 

 f<er.. 25 {1901). So. 2. iip. 19-.')1). — A summary of the results of determinations 

 of sulphur in cereals, vegetables, legumes, and fruits. The amount of sulphur 

 in wheat ranged from 0.027 to 0.072 per cent. or. estimated as sulphuric acid, 

 from 0.084 to 0.222 per cent. 



Breakfast foods: Their chemical composition, digestibility, and cost, 

 It. Harcocrt (Join: Sov. Cheiii. JikIii.s.. 26 (1901). \o. 6. itjj. 2'ti)-2J,3) . — In addi- 

 tion to experiments on the digestibility of breakfast foods when forming a part 

 (if a simple mixed diet, which have Iieen noted from another imblication (E. S. K.. 

 18, p. 400), data are given regarding the effects of cooking oat anrl wheat meals, 

 rolled oats, and wheat farina for periods of 2o minutes, 2, 5, and 8 hours. 



According to the author, the farinas, etc., " are more readily broken down 

 Ihrough the action of heat than the oatmeals. With the latter there was only 

 14.0."» per cent .solids in the extract at the end of 20 minutes' cooking, whereas 

 v.ith farina, 27.4 per cent was soluble. A portion of the extract obtained from 

 the wheat boiled for 20 minutes was h.vdrolyzed, when it reduced copper 

 equivalent to 2.S.85 iier cent of dextrose or 21.4(5 per cent of starch. Aftei- 

 hydrolysis a portion of the extract taken from the meal boiled for 8 hours 

 reduced copper equivalent to 37.65 per cent of dextrose, or 33.88 per cent of 

 starch." 



The digestibility (jf these foods when cooked for 20 minutes and for 8 hours 

 was also studied with the results which are given in the following table: 



Dif/rstiltilifjl of rolled oats aiitl irliciit fariiid coolccd for Ion;/ itml xJiort jicriods. 



Kind of food. 



Rolled oats (cooked 20 minutes) . . . 



Rolled oats (cooked 8 liours) 



Wheat fjirina (cooked 20 minutes). 

 Wheat faniiii (rooked 8 hours) 



Fat. 



Per cent. 

 92.5 

 94 G 

 94.9 

 9,'i.6 



Carbohy 

 drate."^. 



Per rail. 

 98.0 

 98.3 



98 5 



" It is evident that the length of time the meal was cooked did not very mate- 

 rially influence the percentage amount digested. It is. of course. ]iossible that 

 less energy may have I)eeii exj tended in digesting that which was cooked the 

 longer time; Itut no figures could be procured on this point." 



