FOODS NUTRITION. 1097 



plea of wheat and the principal flour products were selected for a period of a month 

 on alternate days, from 3 large mills and analyzed, the wheat ground in every case 

 being hard spring wheat. In general it may be said that the clear-grade flour "con- 

 tained more protein than the original wheat. It has frequently been asserted that 

 the bran and other offals contain the larger proportion of the proteid matter of the 

 wheat kernel. These analyses of the wheat and of the flour milled from the same 

 wheat show that this is not the case. The patent grades contain only slightly less 

 protein than the wheat, while the lower grades contain somewhat more than the 

 wheat itself. This suggests that, if it is desired to obtain flour of highest protein 

 content, it can be found in the lower grades, as they contain more protein than the 

 wheat itself. Such flours, however, produce a poorer quality of bread. [As regards] 

 the comparative bread-making qualities of patent and clear-grade flours ... it will 

 be observed that the clear grades make smaller, darker loaves and a poorer quality 

 of bread than the patent grades." 



The gliaden content increased with the grade, the first patent flour showing the 

 highest amount. 



"The gliadin number is to some extent an index to the grade of the flour; the 

 lower grades show a general tendency to contain less gliadin than the higher grades, 

 although exceptions to this are noticeable. . . . 



"While the gliadin number of the flour and the size of the loaf are not in all cases 

 strictly in accord, there is a general relationship) between the two; if a flour is abnor- 

 mally low in gliadin it does not generally produce a large-sized loaf. The gliadin 

 content of wheat and flour appears to be of more value in comparing the composition 

 and characteristics of different types and varieties of wheat than in determining the 

 quality or value for bread-making purposes of flour made from Avheat of uniform 

 character, such as was used in the investigations." 



The acidity of the samples was also determined and is discussed in relation to 

 gliadin, but definite conclusions are not reached. Among the author's general con- 

 clusions are the following: 



"In this study of the protein content of wheat and of the various grades of flour it 

 is manifest that the most nitrogenous flours are not always produced from wheats 

 of the highest protein content. . . . The nitrogen may be variously distributed 

 in different samples of wheat. . . . This is a matter of considerable importance 

 in the selection of wheat for seed and milling and in the testing of varieties, because 

 not all of the wheat kernel being used for human food purposes it is far more desir- 

 able to secure Avheat with a large protein content in the endosperm than wheat with 

 a large protein content in germ and bran. . . . 



"The way in which the nitrogen is distributed in the wheat kernel is equally as 

 important for bread making and human food purposes as is the total amount. It 

 should be the aim to obtain wheat of high protein content in the endosperm rather 

 than in the bran or germ; that is, an increase of protein in the floury portion of the 

 kernel rather than in the offals. Furthermore, this protein should be of the best 

 quality for bread-making purposes as well as large in amount." 



Influence of storage and. bleaching upon flours, H. Snydkr {Minnesota Sta. 

 Bui. 85, pp. 213-217, figs. 2). — The bread-making quality of samples of patent flour 

 ground from both winter and spring wheat, stored for 4, 8, and 12 months in a dry, 

 well-ventilated warehouse, was tested and compared with that of fresh flour ground 

 from similar wheat. During storage the spring wheat flours lost from 1.86 to 2.21 

 per cent moisture, and the winter wheat flours somewhat less. 



From analyses and baking tests it would appear, according to the author, that 

 "when flour is milled from sound wheat there is no deterioration in bread-making 

 value from storage when the flour is stored in a well-ventilated warehouse, a slight 

 improvement in color and size of loaf being observed in the stored samples which, in 

 part, was offset by the slight loss of absorption power. No effect upon the general 



