14 BULLETIN 1265, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 
When 1,700 grams of peas were scalded in 16 liters of boiling 
distilled water for 2 minutes, there was a loss of 8.2 per cent of 
the total solid matter; and 11.6 per cent when scalded for 4 minutes. 
When scalded and then put into cold water for 30 seconds there was 
an additional loss of 0.24 per cent. 
When peas were scalded for 4 minutes in boiling water, sugar 
amounting to 1.28 per cent of the fresh green weight of peas, or 
30 per cent of the total, was extracted by the water. The figures 
for the 2-minute scalding period are lacking, due to the accidental 
discarding of the water before a test for sugar had been made. 
During a 2-minute scalding 4.3 per cent of the protein was lost 
into the scalding water, and 17.5 per cent was lost when the scald- 
ing period was prolonged to 4 minutes. 
The losses in mineral constituents were 24.1 and 34.3 per cent 
for the 2-minute and the 4-minute periods, respectively; and 1 to 
1.4 per cent more was lost when the peas were plunged into cold 
water for 30 seconds, following scalding. 
EFFECT OF SCALDING UPON THE COLOR AND APPEARANCE OF PEAS. 
The effect of heat and acids upon chlorophyll has already been 
considered in the discussion of the work of Willstatter and Stoll (55) 
in connection with the studies on spinach, and what was said there 
relative to the loss of the green color of spinach applies equally here 
in the consideration of the green color of peas. When peas are 
removed from the scalding bath they are bright green, due to the 
expulsion of air, the taking up of water, etc., but this greening is 
not permanent. As in the case of spinach, the peas turn to an olive- 
green or brownish green color during processing. The practice of 
using copper salts in connection with the canning of peas, as is 
done in some of the European countries, is due to this fact, as was 
earlier pointed out. 
As in the case of spinach, peas were canned both without prelimi- 
nary scalding and with treatment with live steam, with boiling 
water, and with various chemical solutions. The resulting products 
were then subjected to critical examinations to determine the effects 
on the appearance and quality of the peas. Comparisons of the 
canned product from peas receiving no preliminary treatment with 
that from peas which had been scalded in boiling water revealed no 
significant differences in color or appearance when perfectly fresh 
peas had been used. The same was true for peas scalded in 2 per 
cent brine, 0.1 per cent sodium carbonate, and 1 per cent citric acid. 
In all cases the color was the usual olive green. 
Since experiments with spinach using solutions of sodium bicar- 
bonate had indicated that some alkaline substances might be used, 
perhaps, to preserve the green color of some vegetables, similar but 
more extended trials were made with peas. It was found that when 
either sodium bicarbonate or sodium carbonate was used in sufficient 
quantities the green color could be preserved largely, but the peas 
were made too soft to retain an attractive appearance, many of them 
were burst open, and the flavor was so seriously impaired as to make 
them distinctly objectionable. 
Treatment of the peas with a 0.5 per cent solution of ammonia 
following a 2-minute scalding yielded peas having a fresh green 
