FOODS HUMAN NUTRITION. 1161 



The iron and phosphorus content of vegetables, E. IIaenskl {Bmlicm. 

 Zt.sclii:, 16 (IDOi)), So. /, pp. 9-Ul). — Deteiuiiuiitions of total ash, phosphoric 

 acid, and iron oxid in a large number of samples of vegetables, fruits, and nuts 

 are n'liorted. In 3 sorts of edible fungi, i)oanuts, and Brazil nuts lecithin was 

 determined and in the case of the fungi the nitrogen also. 



In ctinnection with this worlv the author studied the amount of iron removed 

 in cooking spinach and lettuce. In one test with spinach 0.17 per cent iron 

 oxid was found in the material extracted in coolving and 0.78 per cent in the 

 material not dissolved. In the second test the values were 0.1.5 and 0.6G per 

 cent. When lettuce was cooked in a similar way 0.35 per cent iron was found 

 in the extracted material and 0.84 per cent in the insoluble portion in one test 

 and 0.39 and 0.S5 per cent, respectively, in the second test. As the author 

 notes, these results show that all the iron contained in such foods is not utilized 

 if the water in which tbey are cooked is thrown away. 



Beans containing hydrocyanic acid, L. Guignard {Rrc. Actrs Off. ct Doc. 

 lllig. I'lih.. Tniv. Cons. Hup. Ilmi. I'lih. France, 36 (1906), pp. 59.'f-632).—A sum- 

 mary of extended investigations of beans of different sorts. 



The author concludes that all varieties of Phascolus lunatus, both wild and 

 cultivated, contain the hydrocyanic acid compound and the ferment which lib- 

 erates the hydrocyanic acid when the grain, crushed or gi-ound, is mixed with 

 water and the temperature is not great enough to destroy the ferment. In 

 order that beans may be free from hydrocyanic acid it is essential that cooking 

 be long continued. 



In an appendix a method of determining hydrocyanic acid is proposed. 



Canned vegetables containing copper, G. Graff (Ztschr. Untcrsucli. Sahr. 

 u. Genussmtl., 16 (1908), So. 8, pp. .'/J.9-.'/6'8). — The author concludes that cop- 

 per salts are not native bodies and that their use should be restricted. The arti- 

 cle contains data regarding the extent of the greening of vegetables with copper 

 salts in Germany and methods for detecting coiiper. 



The rapid change in composition of certain tropical fruits during ripening, 

 H. C. I'rinsen Geerligs (K. Akad. Wctcnuch. Anislcrdam Proc. Sect. Sci., 11 

 {1908), pp. l.'i~8.'i; ahs. in Jour. Chcm. Soc. [London], 9.', (1908), No. 553, II, p. 

 977). — Mangoes, bananas, tamarinds, and sapodillas, the fruits included in this 

 investigation, are commonly gathered in an immature state ; within a few 

 days they become tender aud palatable, and in a few days more they become 

 overripe, soft, and unpalatable. Experiments with bananas showed that during 

 the rii)ening process tliere is an evolution of carbon dioxid and water, and a 

 considerable conversion of starch into sugar. Oxygen is necessary for the 

 ripening process, and bananas will keep their starch intact if surrounded with 

 an atmosphere of nitrogen. The autlu)r tlierefore considers tliat sugar pro- 

 duction is a vital process, although he succeeded in showing the presence of an 

 enzyni cai»able of decomposing starch. 



Tlie results obtained with the mango were similar to those obtainetl with 

 the banana. In the case of the sapodilla, however, the amount of sugar before 

 and aftj'r ripening remains unaltered, and the change ai)pears to be chiefly 

 a softening of the hard pectin, and a deposition of tannin and gutta-perdia 

 from the juice as insohiltle substances. 



A sweetmeat from bananas, li. J. Totten (Mo. Cons, and Trade Rpts. 

 [U. S.], 1909, \o. 3'it, p. 76").— The author describes a method of making a 

 crystallized fruit sweetmeat by drying bananas in sugar. 



Sulphured fruit, II. LihiRio (I'harm. ZentraJhaUc, /,9 (1908), No. JfS, pp. 

 851-85'i). — The author examined different portions of packages of sulphured 

 fruits to determine whether the sulphur content was uniform, a matter of 

 Imiiortancc in the examination of such goods in coiuieetiou with food insi»ection. 



