164 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The gluten content of flour, K. Budai (Bauer) (Ztschr. Gesam. GetreWew., 

 5 (1913), No. 6, pp. 171-179). — General and analytical data are given regarding 

 the amount of gluten in different flours and its relation to their quality. 



A preliminary study on the conditions which affect the activity of the 

 amylolytic enzyms in wheat flour, C. O. Swanson and J. W. Calvin {Jour. 

 Amer. Chem. Sac, 35 {1913), No. 10, pp. 1635-1643) .—The effects of tempera- 

 ture, the duration of the digestion period, the optimum proportion of flour and 

 water, and the effect on the production of reducing sugars of chemicals were 

 studied, including sulphuric acid, sodium hydroxid, dibasic potassium phos- 

 phate, and sodium chlorid in varying concentrations and quantities. 



The experiments, according to the authors, showed that " the optimum tem- 

 perature for the production of the maximum amount of reducing sugars is 

 very near 65° ; that the best proportion of water and flour lies between 1 : 4 

 and 1 : 10, and that there is little difference between these two limits. It has 

 also been shown that the largest transformation takes place during "the first 

 hour; approximately 88 per cent of the total change occurs during the first 

 hour. The inhibiting effect of various chemicals has been shown. The inhibit- 

 ing action is greater toward straight flour than toward low-grade." 



Some points in the making and judging of bread, Isabel Bevieb {Univ. 

 III. Bill., 10 {1913), No. 25, pp. 44, pis. 7). — As the author points out, the char- 

 acteristics of good bread are symmetry of size and shape, bloom and crispness 

 of crust, and a tender, elastic crumb of fine grain. The conclusions drawn 

 from the investigation were in effect the following : 



Recipes differ widely as regards nonessentials, sugar, salt, and shortening, but 

 agree as to the proportion of 1 cup of liquid to 3 of flour. Yeast is a plant, 

 and so subject to laws of plant growth as regards food and moisture. If in 

 good condition, yeast probably does not influence the flavor of bread. Water 

 is the best liquid as regards flavor. Because of the small proportion used and 

 the fact that almost any form of milk is largely water, little effect on flavor is 

 produced by the use of skim milk or buttermilk. Both seem to contribute to 

 tenderness of crumb. 



Salt prevents a flat taste, retards fermentation, and, used to excess, causes 

 loss of color in crust and of tenderness in crumb. Sugar darkens the color of 

 the crust. Within limits, it increases the volume of the loaf. Salt and sugar 

 combined in proportion of 1 : 2, respectively, improve both flavor and volume. 



Bread making is an art that demands careful attention to certain essential 

 details such as character, temperature, and amount of yeast, condition and 

 amount of flour, time and temperature of fermentation and baking. The mate- 

 rial of pans is a question of choice. Tin seems to yield the best results in 

 common practice. Covered and uncovered pans have not been tried enough for 

 definite conclusions. 



The process of bread making for winter wheat flour differs from the process 

 for spring wheat flour in that winter wheat requires more liquid, a slacker 

 dough, is much better with 3 risings instead of 2, and should be allowed to 

 finish proving in the oven. 



A new method of keeping bread fresh and its significance with respect 

 to the night work of bakers, J. R. Katz {Chem. WeekN., 10 {1913), No. 24, 

 pp. 488-495, figs. 3). — Experiments on the vapor tension and water content of 

 bread crust showed that so long as the moisture did not exceed 18 per cent the 

 crust retained the characteristics of freshness. In an atmosphere with 85 per 

 cent humidity bread crust remained unaltered for a long time. 



Bread remained fresh from 10 to 15 hours when kept in a chamber which 

 contained a shallow pan filled with saturated salt solution, and in which an 

 air circulation was maintained by means of a small ventilating fan. The only 



