\ alues listed for similar commercial 

 products, while carrots and beans 

 averaged slightly lower. 



When considering the energy 

 values (caloric content) of these 

 vegetables, two-thirds of all the green 

 beans and tomatoes and half of the 

 corn bettered the commercial values, 

 three-fourths of all yellow beans and 

 carrots were lower. 



The mineral content (ash values) 

 of all the carrots, especially all the 

 beans, and 70 to 80 per cent of the 

 corn and tomatoes, equalled or bet- 

 tered published figures for similar 

 packs. Further analyses of the ash 

 content showed that while almost all 

 samples contained more phosphorus 

 than published figures, the calcium 

 values were lower in practically all 

 instances. No adequate explanation 

 can be offered for these facts al- 

 though it is known that the soils 

 of the state are very low in available 

 calcium. 



The solids of corn showed the 

 greatest variation of all total solids 

 studied, although 80 per cent of the 

 samples equalled the commercial 

 figures. This same ratio held true 

 for beans and tomatoes, while only 

 25 per cent of the carrots fell within 

 the commercial range. 



The cellulose content of green 

 beans and corn, remaining after 

 blending and straining, varied con- 

 siderably. In some cases this indi- 

 gestible material (crude fiber, 

 strings, pods, hulls) from a pint of 

 the canned vegetable practically 

 filled the jar. This was due in all 

 probability to the maturity of the 

 product when preserved. 



To date the data have not been 

 statistically treated to determine fact- 

 ors influencing the variations in the 

 different nutrients as reported above. 

 When this is done the causes for some 

 of the variations may become ap- 

 parent. Such treatment may also show 

 differences between counties as the 



nutritive values of samples collected 

 from Coos county tend to be slightlv 

 lower than values from the other two 

 counties. The only exception to this 

 trend was noted in the mineral con- 

 tent of beans, corn, and carrots. 



S. R. Shimer 



Starch Hydrolysis in Winter Squash 



Blue Hubbard squash were used in 

 testing the apparent activity of some 

 of the carbohydrate enzymes during 

 the growth and storage season of 

 1950-51. 



Amylase and invertase activities 

 were low throughout the season with 

 minor variations. Phosphorylase ac- 

 tivity was low in both flesh and fiber 

 ill the early stage of growth. It in- 

 creased somewhat in the flesh and 

 greatly in the fiber at the time when 

 starch was being formed rapidly. 

 During storage the phosphorylase 

 activity of the flesh decreased grad- 

 ually, but that of the fiber remained 

 at a high level. 



T. G. Phillips 



Study of Assay Methods For 

 Some Water-Soluble Vitamins 



A study was made of the possi- 

 bilities of applying the cyanogen 

 bromide reaction to the quantitative 

 determination of pyridoxine. When it 

 was ascertained that a colorimetric 

 procedure was not practical, due to 

 the weakness of the color reaction, 

 the possibilities of a fluorimetric 

 assay procedure were considered. It 

 was found that reaction between 

 pyridoxine and cyanogen bromide 

 produces a highly fluorescent sub- 

 stance, in amount proportional to 

 the pyridoxine present. Hence, it ap- 

 pears that a practical assay proced- 

 ure, based upon this reaction, can 

 be developed. 



A. E. Teeri 



