1917] FOODS HUMAN NUTRITION. 363 



wheat flour increase in absorptive capacity during storage ; in some Instances as 

 much as 3 or 4 per cent. . . . 



" The proportion of water in gluten is slightly higher under conditions which 

 give it the greatest freedom during its formation, i. e., with higher temperature, 

 or with more water at its disposal. Approximately 180 per cent of water is 

 absorbed by gluten, and once it is formed it retains practically a constant amount 

 of water at all temperatures below its decomposing point. 



" The absorption of a starch gluten mixture is less than the sum of the absorp- 

 tion of the two taken separately. 



" By hydrolysis starch has its capacity for water doubled. By dextrinization 

 it is markedly decreased. 



" By baking or by decomposition gluten ha>s its capacity for water decrea.sed. 

 Baked gluten does not vary in water capacity with change in temperature. 



" The maximum staleness of bread occurs when the ratio of water present in 

 the bread to the capacity of the starch is least, or the fresher the bread the more 

 nearly satisfied with water are its starch particles, and with a given moisture 

 content this satisfaction would vary with the temperature changes inversely as 

 the absorptive capacity of either starch, hydrolyzed starch, or bread. 



" The capacity for moisture of the inner portion of the bread indicates that 

 practically all of the starch is hydrolyzed during the baking process. That of 

 the crust Is less, indicating some dextrinization. 



" The higher the starch content of a flour the more water would it require in 

 proportion to its capacity to produce a loaf of a given apparent freshness." 



The com^position of rice and its by-products, G. S. Fraps (Texas Sta. Bui. 

 191 {1916), pp. 41)- — This bulletin reports the analysis of different varieties of 

 rice and the various intermediate products of milling and discusses the com- 

 position, food, and feeding value of rice and rice by-products. A description 

 is also given of the milling process. From the data here reported the follow- 

 ing conclusions are drawn : 



Milling rice gives it a whiter and more attractive appearance and partly 

 removes phosphoric acid, potash, vitamins, and other constituents. White or 

 milled rice has a different taste and better cooking quality than does the 

 unmilled or brown rice. 



" Chicken feed, or rough rice screenings, contains chiefly weed seeds, broken 

 rice, and dirt, and is variable in composition. So-called stone bran is the sifting 

 from rice hulls and rice and consists largely of rice hulls, with some rice bran, 

 germ, and broken rice. Stone bran from Blue Rose rice contains more fat and 

 more fiber on an average than that from Honduras rice. Rice hulls also get into 

 rice bran with the so-called chits. Huller bran, or rice bran removed by the 

 huller, is rich in protein and fat and is practically free from hulls. Rice hulls 

 have a very low feeding value, but there is no evidence that they are actually 

 poisonous or injurious to animals. 



" The rice bran on the market consists of a mixture of huller bran, cone 

 bran, and stone bran. The addition of hulls, immature rice, inferior stone 

 bran, excessive amounts of stone bran, chicken feed, dust, or any other milling 

 by-product, is an adulteration." 



Tables are given showing the composition and feeding value of rice bran and 

 rice polish. These two products compare favorably with corn. A method is 

 also given for calculating the hull content of rice from the fiber content. The 

 author states that the production coefficients of rice by-products vary with the 

 grade, as does the productive value and the digestible protein. 



Rice bran and rice huller bran contain large percentages of fat, but the ex- 

 traction of this fat commercially has not been successful. A table is given 

 showing the mineral and sugar contents of rice and its by-products. 



