THE USES OF WHEAT PRODUCTS 175 



has caused manufacturing plants to be established 

 in a great number of other cities throughout the 

 country.. This is especially true of the Mississippi 

 Valley region. Since the germ portion of the 

 grain is a by-product in milling, flouring mills 

 have frequently found it profitable to produce 

 certain kinds of wheat foods, particularly such 

 as make use of this germ portion of the grain. 



Wheat foods are of many kinds : those which 

 are whole wheat and those which use but parts 

 of the kernel ; those which are cooked and those 

 which are uncooked. All are in general favor. 

 The reasons for their popularity are not hard to 

 find. Not only are they nutritious, palatable, and 

 inexpensive, but they are readily and quickly pre- 

 pared for table use. Because of their dryness 

 they are also easily kept fresh. 



The factories where these cereal foods are made 

 are generally very sanitary. In the first process 

 all dirt and other foreign matter is removed and 

 the wheat is thoroughly cleaned. This cleansing 

 is accomplished by sifting, fanning, and scrubbing. 

 Then the clean wheat goes through the various 

 processes of preparation and finally the product 

 comes out ready for market. In the whole pro- 

 cess of preparation it has not been touched by 

 human hands. Even packing the food into the 

 cartons or packages is in nearly every instance done 

 by machinery. 



