FOODS HITMAN NTtTETTTON. 



461 



FOODS— HUMAN NUTRITION. 



Food of man studies, L. H. Mekiull (Maiitc Sfa. JUih loS, pp. 219-238). — 

 Analyses of tropical fruits and vegetables and miscellaneous food products 

 are reported as well as studies of the effects of popping on the composition of 

 corn and the digestibility of hulled corn and the results of an examination of 

 graliani Hours with a view to determining whether the material submitted was 

 true to name. Among the foods analyzed were yautia, air potato (Dioscorcd 

 hiilhifcra), avocado, papaya, tayote, sour sop. yams of different sorts, green 

 pepper, egg fruit, sapodilla. yuquilla, and several kinds of candied, dried, and 

 preserved nuts and fruits, and cereal breakfast foods. 



The analyses of corn before and after popping showed that " the corn seems 

 to suffer little chemical change beyond that resulting from a loss of water, 

 the loss amounting to fi'om one-half to two-thirds of the total water content. . . . 

 A determination of the water soluble carbohydrates in the corn would probably 

 have shown a gain in every case." 



In eight of the digestion experiments with hulled corn this material and 

 milk were the sole articles of diet. In eight additional experiments the hulled 

 corn and milk were supplemented by bread, butter, milk, and candied peaches. 

 The average results of these tests and the calculated digestibility of the hulled 

 corn alone are shown in tli«' table which follows: 



Diijcvtihilitij of huJUil coni: E-rpcriincnts trifli ninii. 



Kind of food. 



Protein. 



Carbohy- 

 drates. 



[Heatof com- 

 I bustion. 



I Per cent. 



Hulled corn and milk I 81.7 



Hulled corn with mixed diet ' 90.9 



Hulled corn alone 61.2 



Per cent. 

 97. 3 

 97.0 

 96.4 



Per cent. 



91.8 

 95. .5 

 86.7 



As the author points out, the digestibility of the protein and the availability 

 of the energy of hulled corn are low in comparison with results which have been 

 obtained with white bread. The simple mixed diet containing hulled corn was 

 nnich more completely utilized than the diet of hulled corn and milk. 



The comparative study of graham flour repoi'ted led the author to conclude 

 that the suspicious sample was not true to name but a made-up product carry- 

 ing a considerable proportion of low-grade flour. 



Some unusual Japanese food products, O. Loew (Mitt, Dent. Gcsell. Xatiir- 

 it. Volkerk. Osta.neiis, 11 {1906), Xo. 1, pp. 109-111). — The use of young sprouts 

 from a number of sorts of plants, of blossoms of several kinds, of fresh-w.-iter 

 algae, and of several insects as food in Japan is discussed. According to the 

 author, a sort of chrysanthemum blossoms sold in the form of compres.sed tablets 

 contain 3.8 per cent cane sugar and 20.G per cent invert sugar, a portion of 

 which is perhaps added during the process of manufacture. One of the fresh- 

 water algte, a species of No.stor pJn/llodcnna, when thoroughly dried is .said to 

 contain 2~) per cent ])rotein. 



The article also contains some general data regarding the use of soy-bean 

 products and other Japanese food cu.stoms. 



New Zealand boned beef, A. M. Wright {Chem. Xrir-s. 91 (1908), Xo. .iol'i, 

 p. 50). — Analyses of canned boned veal and of beef from steers and cows are 

 reported and discussed in connection with average figures. The cans from which 

 the .^samples were taken had been in cold storage for C to 8 weeks aud repi'esent 

 the average product as it reaches the market. 



