FOODS HUMAN NUTRITION. 789 



A study of durum wheat, V. A. Norton (Jour. Amer. Chem. Soc, :: (1905), Vo. 

 0, pp. 982-984). — The investigations reported with durum wheal were carried on at, 

 the South Dakota Station, and tin- results have been in part noted from another 

 publication I E. s. K.. 17, p. 269). 



Durum wheat products arc uoticeabl) Bweet. Analyses showed that Kubanka 

 durum wheal contained 3.26 per cent Bugar ami Blue stem 1.42 per cent, inverl sugar 

 ami soluble starch being absent in both wheats. Approximately 1.25 per cent 

 dextrin was also found in the Kuhanka wheat. 



In the discussion <m macaroni making the author Btates, "M the basis of personal 



Observation, that most of the American macaroni is made from bread wheat, yel he 

 is convinced that the durum wheats are greatly superior for the manufacture of mac- 

 aroni ami other edible pastes. He also considers durum wheats \\ ell adapted for the 

 manufacture of breakfast foods. 



"< >f the different varieties which have been employed for trial at the South Dakota 

 Experiment Station and Highmore substation, Knbanka, Pererodka, Beloturka, 

 Arnautka, and Yellow Gbarnovka have given considerably the best results." 



The nutritive value of different sorts of flour, P. Fauvel I Compi. /.'./"/. Acad. 

 Set. [Paris], 140 (1905), pp. 1424-1427). — The experiments with man reported were 

 made with white flour, w hole-wheat flour, and brown army bread. 



The whole-wheat flour bread did not offer any advantage over the brow n bread. It 

 did not furnish more digestible phosphoric acid, while it diminished the excretion of 

 urea, produced an appreciable quantity of purin, irritated the intestine, ami dimin- 

 ished the assimilation of other nutrients. The army bread gave better results than 

 the white bread. 



The assimilation of whole-wheat bread, P. Fauvel \<'<>u<i>t. Rend. Soc. Biol. 

 [Paris'], 60 (1906), No. 5, i>/>. 252-254). — Continuing work noted above the author 

 studied the comparative value of whole wheat and white bread. In spite of its high 

 protein content the whole-wheat bread caused a diminution of the urea excreted 

 amounting to 2.4 gm. per day on an average, while it increased the excretion of 

 xantho bodies and uric acid and the proportion of these bodies to urea. Although 

 whole-wheat bread contains a large amount of phosphoric acid it did not increase 

 the urinary excretion of this constituent. 



The formation, of acid in mixtures of flour and water under the influence 

 of bran, <i. Geisendobfeb (Inaug. Piss., Univ. Wurzburg, 1904', ubs. '" Hyg- Rund- 

 achau, 15 (1905), No. JO, j>. 10.~>4). — Mixed with water rye flour becomes more acid 

 than wheat flour and coarse flour more acid than line. When mixed with water 

 under similar conditions more acid is formed from bran than from flour and from flour 

 containing bran than from flour without it. In this acid formation the phosphorus 

 compounds in the bran are of importance and very probably the bacteria which are 

 also present. 



Testing- wheat flour for commercial purposes, II. Snydeb (Jour. Amer. Chem. 

 Soc., 27 ( 1005 ), No. 9, />/>. 1068-1074).— Physical and chemical tests, it is the author's 

 belief, should both be used in testing the quality of wheat flour. For another 

 discussion of this topic by the author see E. S. R., 17, p. 113. 



The use of talc as a coating or polishing material for pearl barley, rice, 

 millet, and dried peas, II. Matches and F. Mi'i.i.ia: (Ztschr. Offentl. Chem., li 

 (1905), pp. 76 82; aba. in Analyst, 80(1905), No. 851, p. 906).— Of 25 samples of 

 pearl barley examined, l»i were free from talc, "> contained less than 0.2 per cent, 

 and the remainder O.L' to <>.t;.", per cent. 



It was found that by shaking the grains with talc more than L' per cent would 

 adhere to the barley. The presence of talc can be detected by Bhaking the grains of 

 barley with water, allowing the mixture to settle, and examining under a micro- 

 scope. The amount present may be ascertained by igniting 25 gm. of the grain, 



