FOODS HUMAN NUTRITION". 765 



" It appears from our investigations that in certain directions even such 

 small quantities of copper may have a deleterious action and must be considered 

 injurious to health." 



Beef meal (Pure Products, 9 (1913), No. 8, p. ^05). — The product described 

 is prepared by drying lean beef at a temperature below the boiling point of 

 water. Part of the vapors, containing the aromatic substances, are collected, 

 condensed, and added to the dried beef after it has been ground, and the mix- 

 ture packed in tins and sterilized. The product may be used for soups or in 

 combination with vegetables, and is said to have excellent keeping quality. 



Nutritive value of the flesh of some foreig'n fish imported into France in 

 recent years, A. C. Hollande (Bui. Sci. Pharmacol., 20 {1913), No. 7, pp. 405, 

 406). ^Several varieties of fish are compared as to their composition and food 

 value. 



The decomposition and preservation of eggs, A. Kossowicz (Die Zerset- 

 zung und Haltharmachung der Eier. WiesMden, 1913, pp. 74). — A historical 

 review of the literature relating to the decomposition of eggs by yeasts, molds, 

 and bacteria, with a summary and criticism of the results of the more important 

 investigations along these lines, is given. A number of original investigations, 

 carred out by the author to determine the micro-organism content of fi-esh eggs 

 and the power of various micro-organisms to penetrate the unbroken shell of 

 the egg, are reported. 



A large number of fresh eggs were held for from 2 to 3 days at temperatures 

 of 20 to 30° C, and their contents inoculated into various culture media. 

 With very few exceptions, these eggs were found to be sterile. 



Experiments in which eggs were exposed to various kinds of bacteria under 

 conditions corresponding closely to those under which eggs are often storetl in 

 the household, in transportation, and in the trade, showed that bacteria could 

 easily penetrate the unbroken shell of the egg and cause decay. This was 

 especially true of the very common putrescible organism. Bacillus vulgare. 



It was also shown by similar experiments that molds could penetrate the 

 shell under conditions in which moisture and temperature played an important 

 part. At high temperatures Cladosporinm herharum, and at low temperatures 

 Penicilliuni glaucuin, are the most active organisms which cause the molding 

 of eggs. The shells of old eggs are more easily and quickly penetrated by the 

 molds than those of fresh eggs. Some yeasts were also found to penetrate the 

 shells of eggs. 



Eggs, the shells of which were soiled by the contents of either fresh or de- 

 cayed eggs, were found to be more susceptible to the invasion of micro-organisms 

 than clean eggs. 



An extended discussion is given of the various methods employed for the 

 preservation of eggs, from which the author draws the conclusion that the most 

 suitable method is cold storage in rooms which have been tilled with carbon- 

 dioxid, or else packing the eggs in milk of lime or in water glass. 



Flour — the relationship of composition to bread-making value, P. T. 

 Shutt (Canad. Miller and Ccrcalist, 5 (1913), No. 8, pp. 176-178). — Experi- 

 mental data are presented and discussed regarding the importance of deter- 

 minations of protein, gliadin, and gluten in flour as factors in judging the value 

 of flour for bread-making purposes. 



The term " strength of flour " is also discussed at length. 



Diastase in bread making, E. Galli and A. Ceeadini (Rend. R. 1st. Lom- 

 hardo Sci. e Let., 2. ser., 45 {1912), No. 10-11, pp. 546-555). — An investigation 

 was carried out to determine the value of " diamalt " in bread making. 



A study of its fermentative power as determined by comparative fermentation 

 tests in glucose media with dough leaven, brewer's yeast, a mixture of leaven 



