20 THE CAN XING OF PEAS. 



the can. While the primary object was to determine the relation of 

 blanching to spoilage, the secondary effect on the commercial grading 

 was evident. 



Young peas will stand either a long or short blanch better than 

 old ones. The effect upon the increase in size was determined by 

 running the peas over the same size screens before and after blanch- 

 ing, and noting the percentage which did not pass through. It was 

 found that after a ten-minute blanch the percentage which showed 

 an increase in size was as follows : 



Percentage of />e* increased in size by blanching for ten minutes. 



The increase in size was much greater in grades 2 and 3 than in 

 grade 1. The experiments with the one-minute blanch and the five- 

 minute blanch were not made upon complete sets, but the results 

 obtained indicated a similar change, though it was less marked. 



The peas were filled into the can so as to give a uniform weight, 

 and water was added without salt or sugar, to give a total of G60 

 grams. After processing it was found that of those given the short 

 blanch, the peas in grade 1 had taken up but little of the liquor, and 

 those in grades 2 and 3, particularly the latter, had taken up so much 

 of the water as to leave an insufficient amount to cover the peas in 

 the can. 



The appearance of the liquor was best on grade 1 for the one-minute 

 blanch, and good for the five-minute and ten-minute blanches; on 

 grade 2 it was best for the five-minute blanch, and on grade 3 best 

 for the ten-minute blanch. The liquor on grade 1 was clear, on grade 

 2, cloudy but thin, and on grade 3, thick and starchy. The peas in 

 grade 3 for the one-minute blanch had formed a solid mass with the 

 liquor so that half of the peas would not fall out when the can was 

 inverted. 



Tender peas which are over-blanched, soften, break open, and dis- 

 charge free starch grains so as to make a muddy liquor, and if in 

 great excess, the liquor in the bottom of the can becomes pasty. Old 

 peas which are under-blanched remain hard and unpalatable after 

 processing, or, if given a hard process, they will take up all the liquor 

 in the can and become a more or less thickened mass. Such peas never 

 have clear liquor. If the tender and hard peas be mixed, and the 

 blanching be set for the young peas, the older ones are not well done ; 



