BULLETIN 27, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
^SALT 62 % 
MEAT EXTRACT 23 °/o 
PLANT EXTRACT 4,76 /o 
Fig. 1. — Best grade bouillon cube (25 cents a dozen j. 
in the poorer cubes is small and the amount of salt and plant extract 
large. 
Table I makes it very clear that none of these cubes is a concen- 
trated beef juice or essence. The dietar}^ value, as is apparent from 
the table and from 
the figures, 1, 2, and 9 
(p. 6). lies largely in 
the fact that they act 
as a stimulant. As 
they also contain a 
small amount of pro- 
tein (muscle-building 
substances) in the 
meat extract, they 
may be said to possess slight nutritive value. Most of these cubes 
have no advertised claim to be concentrated beef broth or essence. 
Many people, however, believe them to be highly concentrated meat 
and therefore to 
possess a high nutri- ^ z^-pat^ water 3.£0<y o 
tive value, especially 
for invalids, but this 
is not true. 
As the meat ex- 
tract is the element 
which provides any 
nutritive value these 
cubes possess, it is 
apparent that the cubes numbered 1 to 5 have slightly greater nutri- 
tive value than the cubes numbered 6 to 10, the latter being made 
largely from plant extract, salt, and flavoring substances. 
Table I. — The composition of commercial bouillon cubes. 
+—SALT 72% 
MEAT EXTRACT e./e§°/<> 
PLANT EXTRACT //.33^y 
Fig. 2. — Poorest grade bouillon cube (15 cents a dozen) 
Cube 
No.i 
Source of manufacture. 
Salt. 
Water 
and fat. 
Approxi- 
mate 
amount 
of meat 
extract 
present. 
Approxi- 
mate 
amount 
of plant 
extract 
present. 
l 
Per cent. 
62 
65 
65 
67.5 
59.2 
49.25 
53 
72 
72.5 
7'.' 
Per cent. 
5.25 
9 
8 
5 
5.75 
4.1 
5. 5 
8.5 
S.5 
Per cent. 
28 
23 
18 
17.8 
17.8 
15.33 
14.6 
14 
8.33 
8.17 
Per cent. 
4.75 
9 
3 
3 
9 
4 
do 
9.7 
5 
do 
16 
6 
29.66 
7 
do :.... 
28.3 
g 
8-5 
9 
10.92 
10 
do 
11.33 
1 Cubes arranged in table in order of content of meat extract 
