37 



Gluten feed is — excepting the germ — the residual 

 Gluten Feed. product in the manufacture of starch and glucose 

 Pagesii-I2. from corn. It is used extensively in dairy rations, 

 and is considered one of the most satisfactory 

 concentrates. During the past season considerable agitation has 

 been caused because of the acid or sour taste of many lots of this 

 feed stuff and because of its supposed coloration with an aniline dye. 

 This station is now making, through Mr. P. V. Goldsmith, a some- 

 what extended investigation of the gluten feeds found in the Massa- 

 chusetts markets. The results thus far secured may be stated briefly : 

 Acidity. Some lots of feed were found to be only slightly sour, while 

 others were so sharply acid to the taste as to be considered unpalatable. 

 As a very dilute solution of sulfurous acid is used to soften the corn in 

 the process of manufacture, it was assumed by some that the sour taste 

 was due largely to this acid. It was found, however, that sulfurous 

 acid (sulfites) were present only in such very minute quantities as to 

 be considered in no way injurious. Sulfuric acid was also present in 

 such small amounts (probably as a sulfate or bi-sulfate) as not to 

 be responsible for the greater part of the acidity. The evidence 

 now at hand indicates that the sour condition is due principally to 

 some form of phosphorous. While the amount of acid present is, 

 in all probability, not injurious to animals, it is believed that a more 

 satisfactory product would result if these feeds were treated in such 

 a way as to leave only a minimum amount of acid evident to the taste. 

 Coioriug Matter. A great many of the gluten feeds on the mar- 

 ket were found to be artificially colored with an aniline dye. The 

 manufacturers claim that coloring matter is added for two reasons, 

 first, to make the feed more attractive and, second, because white or 

 yellow corn being used, it is necessary to resort to coloring in order 

 to obtain a uniform product. The amount of color used is evidently 

 so small as not to be injurious. The practice of coloring, however, 

 is to be regretted since it in no way improves the nutritive value of 

 the feed. Buyers are urged to be governed not by color but by the 

 guarantee and taste of the feed stuff. 



Following is a tabulation showing the colored feeds found on the 

 market and also the degree of acidity measured in terms of sulfuric 

 acid. This does not mean that the acid present was sulfuric {in fact very 

 little of it 7vas'); sulfuric is simply used as a unit for measuring the com- 

 bined acidity of the different substances which give a sour taste to the feed. 



