BULLETIN OF THE 
No. 27 
Contribution from the Bureau of Chemistry, Car! L„ Alsberg, Chief 
November 5, 1913. 
BOUILLON CUBES: THEIR CONTENTS AND FOOD VALUE COM- 
PARED WITH MEAT EXTRACTS AND HOME-MADE PREPA- 
RATIONS OF MEAT. 
By F. C. Cook, 
Physiological Chemist, Animal Physiological Chemistry Laboratory. 
INTRODUCTION. 
As the true dietary value of commercial meat preparations, espe- 
cially bouillon cubes, fluid and semisolid meat extracts, commercially 
bottled meat juices, and similar preparations offered for sale, is not 
generally understood by the people, and as these articles are errone- 
ously believed to be convenient forms of concentrated meat, the 
Bureau of Chemistry has undertaken to determine their actual food 
value. Complete analyses have been made of ten of the leading 
brands of bouillon cubes manufactured in the United States and 
Germany, and collected on the New York market in 1912. One 
purpose of this investigation was to determine whether the term 
" bouillon," which is defined as a broth prepared from meat, may 
justly be used for many of these cubes which, while not nutritious, 
have a certain value as a flavoring medium and as a stimulating and 
appetizing drink. 
Bouillon cubes as sold by most grocers are wrapped in tin foil, 
paraffin paper, or both. They will keep indefinitely, although cer- 
tain makes are likely to lose their form during warm weather. 
COMMERCIAL BOUILLON CUBES. 
The results of the analyses of these cubes are expressed in the 
accompanying tables and diagrams in common terms, as salt, water, 
fat, plant extract, and meat extract. It will be observed that com- 
mon salt is the greatest constituent, being from 49 to 72 per cent of 
(he total weight of the cubes. The amount of meat extract present 
ranges from 8 per cent in the poorest brands to but 28 per cent in 
the best brands. The third important ingredient is plant or vege- 
table extract which constitutes from 3 to 30 per cent. This plant 
extract is useful because of its flavoring properties but has but slight, 
if any, nutritive value, The amount of meat stock or meat extract 
9218°— 13 1 
