The Colloidal Swelling of Wheat Gluten. 
17 
test the effect of these substances in modifying the qualities of 
the gluten. (It is the intention of the authors to carry out in 
the near future detailed studies of this character.) 
Recent work on the effect of the addition of various substances 
to dough on the bread-making qualities of flour is of interest in 
this connection. White^^ has investigated the effect of the 
addition of bran extracts to the dough on the quality of loaf 
obtained. He made experiments, adding water, extract of bran, 
0.2 per cent hydrochloric acid extract of bran, and 0.2 per cent 
acid alone. The dilute acid gave a loaf smaller in volume than 
the check and of very poor texture. The water and acid extracts 
of bran gave improved loaves. Acid extracts neutralized with 
alkali gave a poorer loaf than the check. 
Willard and Swanson^^ have determined the effect of a num- 
ber of substances on the baking qualities of flour. They found 
that glycocoll and several other amino acids produced marked 
detrimental effects. Salts showed either no marked effects or a 
beneficial one. Ammonium chloride in small amounts affected 
the baking qualities of flour favorably. Sodium carbonate was 
markedly detrimental. Extracts of various milling by-products 
gave improved loaves of bread for the most part. Neither White 
nor Willard and Swanson offer any explanation of their interest- 
ing results. Willard and Swanson make the following statement: 
''That the baking qualities of flour bear an intimate relation to 
chemical substances that may naturally be present, or that may 
be produced from normal constituents of the flour or introduced 
thru imperfect milling, is beyond question." In our opinion the 
explanation of the results of White and of Willard and Swanson 
is to be found in the effect which the added substances produced 
in altering the hydration capacity of the gluten. 
Freed has investigated the effect of the addition of varying 
quantities of salt to the dough on the character of loaf obtained. 
He found that the size and texture of the loaf, as well as the 
time of fermentation, varied with the amount of salt used. The 
length of time required for fermentation increased regularly with 
increase in amount of salt added. The volume of loaf increased 
with increase of salt up to 3 pounds of salt per 196 pounds of 
flour; with increasing amounts of salt above this the volume 
decreased. The texture of the bread was best in the loaf having 
greatest volume and poorest in the bread in which no salt was 
used. Where more than 3 pounds of salt for 196 pounds of flour 
was used the loaf was of smaller volume and poorer in texture. 
i^White, Jour. Ind. Eng. Chem. 5, 990 (1913). 
i^Willard and Swanson, Kansas Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 190 (1913). 
>«Freed, Oper. Miller, 18, 794 (1913). 
