FOODS HUMAN NT TUITION. 269 



FOODS HUMAN NUTRITION. 



Macaroni wheat, .1. II. Shepard [South l><ii."t<i Sta. />'"/. 92, pp. 89, pis. ■'/).— 

 Continuing earlier work E. S. I:. 15, p. 1098), results of studies of the milling and 

 baking qualities of macaroni \\ beat arc reported, as well a- of its value for macaroni 

 making. 



In the investigations reported a number of samples of northern or Russian, south- 

 em or Mediterranean, and miscellaneous macaroni wheats were studied, in com- 

 parison with standard varieties of bread wheats. The milling tests Bhowed that 

 although some of the macaroni wheats were inferior, yet on an average this class of 

 wheat- compares favorably with standard bread wheats. Aja regards the varieties 

 included in the present test, the besl results were obtained with a specimen of 

 Kuhanka macaroni wheat. 



•■It yield- a greater percentage of flour than any other. The color is no1 much 

 differenl from the besl blue stem Hour, while ... it makes a better loaf of bread 

 than any other [of the samples tested]. 



••The Russian macaroni wheats as a whole give better results than the others, 

 ilthough there is a wide difference among the sample- milled." 



In a study of the distribution of protein in the different wheats, it was found that 

 on an average the bread wheats tested contained L3.68 per cent protein in the w bole 

 wheat. 15.65 in the bran, 14.56 in the shorts, and L2.66 in the Hour. The macaroni 

 wheats tested contained on an average L5.60 percent in the whole wheat, L5.90 in 

 the bran, I">.l".» in the shorts, and L5.00 in the flour. 



From studies of the proportion of wet gluten present and the results of sponge 

 tests, it appears that '"the bread wheat glutens are slightly superior gram for gram, 

 hut the greater quantity in the macaroni seemsj to offset this advantage. - ' The 

 Bponge test is regarded as a more accurate test of the tenacity of the gluten than tin- 

 loaf volume, owing to the greater accuracy obtainable in the rise and measurement; 

 and thus judged, the macaroni wheats compared favorably with the standard 

 varieties. 



A study of the bread-making qualities of the various wheats showed that the 

 quality of macaroni Hour bread was largely dependent upon the variety of wheat 

 -elected. *ome of the samples producing bread which in the author's opinion was 

 equal or superior to that made from the hest bread wheat-, while the bread made 

 from other varieties was of very poor quality. The data regarding the character of 

 the macaroni made from the different samples of wheat have been summarized in 

 the earlier bulletin previously referred to. 



The color tests reported slewed considerable range in the different samples, the 

 macaroni flours comparing favorably with the standard wheats. In general, the color 

 of the Hour was found to depend directly upon the fineness of grinding. This, in the 

 author's opinion, may explain some of the differences of opinion regarding the color 

 of macaroni flour. 



From a summary of data on the effect of soil and climate on the total protein in 

 macaroni wheats, the conclusion is reached that these factors have not induced any 

 general deterioration as regards protein content. In general an unfavorable season 

 tends to lower the protein content and a favorable season t<» increase it. The per- 

 centage of gliadin in the total protein ranged in a number of samples of the macaroni 

 Hours examined, from 44.9 per cent with the Yellow Gharnovka, t<> 59. 1 per cent 

 with Kuhanka. The proportion found in Blue stem Minnesota wheat was 66.8 per 

 cent. 



A satisfactory flour for baking purposes should contain, according to the author, 

 from 55 to ti.'i per cent of its total gluten in the form of gliadin. Therefore, judged 

 by this standard, some of the macaroni Hours are satisfactory while others are not. 



