ANALYSES OF MISCELLANEOUS FOOD MATERIALS. 97 



The chief variation of a self-raising flour from a typical flour 

 of the same grade is found in its higher ash content. A pound 

 of straight patent flour will have about .005 pounds of ash. The 

 ash in 1 pound of the self-raising flours (6405 is not self-rais- 

 ing) varies from .025 to .058 pounds. This added ash consists 

 of common salt, and leavening materials. Patent flour usually 

 carries about .002 pounds of phosphoric acid to the pound. 

 Larger amounts than this in a self-raising flour indicates that 

 acid phosphate has been added in the leavening. The use of 

 phosphoric acid in place of cream of tartar is perfectly proper 

 and indeed on some accounts preferable. Alum should not be 

 present in flour. In small amounts its presence may be acci- 

 dental. When as much as .002 pound occurs in a pound it is 

 fair to assume that it was added intentionally. Alum is harmful 

 and should not be used in flours or baking powders. 



The amount of leavening is measured by the carbon dioxide 

 which is evolved when the flour is wet up with water and heated. 

 As shown by the analyses the total leavening power may be con- 

 siderably in excess of the available, the proportion of the latter 

 decreasing with age. If chemical leavening agents are to be 

 used, it is far better to mix them with the flour at the time of 

 baking. 



Good bread flour with sufficient cream of tartar and soda as 

 leavening material costs about 3 cents a pound. The ready 

 prepared flours here reported upon were sold at the rate of 5.3 

 to 16. 1 cents per pound. Because of the high cost, the poor 

 keeping quality and the temptation to adulteration, from the 

 standpoint of economy and health, the general use of prepared 

 self-raising flours is unwise. 



Pea Flour. 



A five pound package of pea flour sent by Dr. Charles Cald- 

 well of Chicago to the Department of Agriculture was for- 

 warded to the laboratories of this Station for analysis. Dr. 

 Caldwell regards the flour as a very promising addition to our 

 food products. He recommends that it be mixed with wheat 

 flour and used for bread making, "since it not only improves the 

 flavor of the bread, but its texture as well, the loaf remaining 

 soft and moist much longer than when wheat flour alone is 

 employed." He suggests that it be compressed into cakes and 



