458 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



" Siiu-e it is well known that the physical properties of proteids are profouudly 

 affected by small qnantities of acitts, alkalis, and salts, the amounts of thest; 

 substances in strong and weak flours were determined. In the few cases exam- 

 inetl, it was found that the strength was associated with a high ratio of proteid 

 to salts and weakness with a low ratio. It is suggested that the variation of 

 this I'atio may be the explanation of the different physical behavior of the gluten 

 of strong and wealv flours, and that this is the factor which determines that com- 

 ponent of strength which governs the shape of the loaf and its power of retain- 

 ing gas. This point is receiving further investigation. 



"The factor which primarily determines the size of a loaf which a flour 

 can make is quite distinct. The size of the loaf is shown to depend in the first 

 instance on the amount of sugar contained in the flour together with that formed 

 in the dough by diastatic action. It is proposed to measure this by incubating 

 the flour witli yeast and water, and collecting the carbon dioxid evolved during 

 24 hours. Particular attention should be paid to the rate of gas evolution in the 

 later stages of the fermentation, as this is shown to be more directly connected 

 with the size of the loaf. . . . 



" The largeness of the loaf depends chiefly on the capacity of the flour to give 

 off gas when fermented with yeast, especially in tlie later stages of dough fer- 

 mentation, and the suggestion is made that shapeliness, and probably gas reten- 

 tion, are dependent on the physical properties of the gluten as modified by the 

 presence of varying proportions of salts." 



A comparison of various methods of estimating' the baking qualities of 

 flour, II. W. Thatcher (Jour. Aiiicr. Vhcm. Soc, 29 {1907), No. 6, pp. 910- 

 921 ) . — From the results of the comparative tests reported, the author concludes 

 that " no single test which was tried is capalile of giving conclusive evidence as 

 to the baking quality of flour. Any of the processes which have yet been sug- 

 gested for testing flour must l)e s^ipplemeuted by a babiug test if final and accu- 

 rate conclusions are to be reached. 



" The baker's sponge tests appear to afford little evidence of value except in 

 the case of low-gluten flours. Inasmuch as these tests require nearly as much 

 actual woi'k and fully as much care and attention as the complete baking tests, 

 it appears that they may well be abandoned in favor of the latter." 



Portuguese studies of flour, F. da Su.va {Rev. Chim. Pura c AppL, 1 

 {1905), pp. 262-2()5; abs. in Ztsclir. Untersuch. Nahr. u. GcnmsmtL, 13 {1901), 

 No. 9, p. 582). — The analyses of flour reported were made to secure data for 

 judging of the quality of Portuguese flour and its agreement with the legal 

 standard. 



Zwieback preparations, K. Fischer and O. Gruenert {ZtscJir. Untrrsucli. 

 Ndltr. u. (Inuissmtl., 13 {1901), No. 11, pp. 692-691). — A number of compounds 

 recommended by manufacturers as additions to zwieback cakes and other 

 bakers' goods were examined and found to contain small quantities of soap. 

 The authors state that in Holland and some other localities it has been a 

 common practice to add a small amount of soap to such goods with the idea 

 of lessening the amount of egg required to make goods light, etc. The data 

 rei)orted are discussed with reference to the detection of soap in bakers' goods. 



Phosphoric acid in barley, W. Windisch (.Jiilirh. IVr.s. u. Lchrnnst. Braucrci 

 Berlin, 9 {1906), p. 36; abs. in Chrni. Zentbh, IS {1901), I, No. 19, p. U39).— 

 According to the author's investigations, no phosphorus occurs in barley in 

 inorganic form, although such phosphorus comi)ounds are formed during 

 sprouting and malting. If barley contains any mineral phosphoric acid, it is 

 either unripe or has sprouted or been changed in 'Character in some similar 

 way. The change of phosphoric acid from organic to inorganic form is due 



