POODS HUMAN NUTEITION. 161 



Appended to the bulletin are definitions of the milling and chemical terms 

 used in it. 



The manufacture of a 'sweet flour from the sugar beet and its use in 

 human and animal nutrition, A. Atjlabd {Orig. Commun. 8. Internat. Cong. 

 Appl. C'hcm. IWnshington and Neic York], 25 (1912), Sects. I-Ve, App., pp. 

 479-^83). — This article describes the process of making a flour from the dried 

 sugar beet. The chemical composition of this " beetmeal " is given and its 

 possible use in human and animal nutrition is discussed. 



Hop sprouts, an early spring salad (Pure Products, 9 (1913), No. Jf, pp. 167, 

 168). — According to this article, hop sprouts are an early spring vegetable of 

 characteristic aromatic flavor. They may be used like asparagus and are avail- 

 able before it is on the market. 



In hop-grovping regions, the excessive shoots sent out from the stool of the 

 old plants are thus used, while in France and Belgium the plants are especially 

 cultivated for the shoots. Hop shoots appear in the market both fresh and 

 canned, the latter being prepared by cleaning and bunching, blanching, draining, 

 placing in cans with salt water, and sterilizing. 



Fungi and composition of Japanese tamari-koji, J. Hanzawa (Mycol. 

 Centbl., 1 {1912), No. 6, pp. i6S-i 66). —Tamari-koji is a variety of soy-bean 

 sauce prepared from the beans without the addition of wheat or other cereal 

 such as used in making common soy sauce. 



The beans are soaked until they are swollen 2 or 3 times their original size, 

 boiled from 13 to 14 hours, kneaded, and formed into balls called " miso-dama." 

 These are laid on trays for several days and become coated with fungi, in which 

 state they are known as tamari-koji, the word " koji " having special reference 

 to the ferments present. The soy is finally prepared by drying, adding brine, 

 and allowing the mass to ferment slowly for from 7 to 10 months, then pressing 

 It and cooking the liquid. The residue is used as miso. 



The chemica-l composition of tamari-koji shows less moisture and more nitrog- 

 enous matter, especially albumin, than that of ordinary soy. Some investi- 

 gators find the chief fungus to be the same as that of ordinary soy, namely, 

 Aspergillus onjzw; others find no trace of this in tamari-koji. In the author's 

 laboratory, where the Aspergillus was not found, the 3 most abundant fungi 

 appeared to be Mucor mucedo, Penicillium glau-cum, and Cladosporium her- 

 barum. Chemical analysis showed that the changes in the composition of beans 

 produced by these fungi were relatively slight, and much less than was noted 

 by other investigators who found A. oryzw as the chief fermentative agent. 



Roselle, D. S. Pratt {Philippine Jour. Sci., Sect. A, 7 {1912), No. 3, pp. 

 201-207, pis. 2). — Roselle {Hibiscus sabdarijfa), as grown in the Philippines, 

 is here described and its chemical analysis reported. 



Less water and sucrose and more mineral matters and malic acid were found 

 than in analyses reported from the United States. The malic acid, the method 

 of determining which is described at length, was found to be present in dextro- 

 rotatory form. Though the calyx is the portion of the plant from which the 

 best quality, and especially the best color, of sirups and jellies, can be made, 

 there is sufficient flavoring matter in the stems and leaves to permit their use. 

 Roselle flavoring sirup is made by soaking and straining the calyxes, either 

 with or without the stems and leaves, boiling down the liquid thus obtained 

 until it is one-third of its original volume, adding cane sugar as desired (usually 

 in equal volume), and boiling until the latter is dissolved. The resulting sirup 

 has an attractive acid taste and may be used diluted as a beverage or for 

 flavoring shei'bets, soda water, etc. Roselle wine is also made. 



The nitrogenous constituents of lime juice, C. Funk (Biochem. Jour., 7 

 {1913), No. 1, pp. 81-86). — In this article, which is a preliminary report of 



