BULLETIN OF THE 
11 
No. 102 
Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry, Wm. A. Taylor, Chief. 
July 23, 1914. 
(PROFESSIONAL PAPER.) 
ACIDITY AS A FACTOR IN DETERMINING THE DEGREE OF 
SOUNDNESS OF CORN. 
By H. J. Besley and G. H. Baston, Assistants, Office of Grain Standardization. 
INTRODUCTION. 
In January, 1910, the Office of Grain Standardization, Bureau of 
Plant Industry, undertook the investigation of corn (maize) acidity. 
At that time it was generally known that in all cases the amount of 
acid or the degree of acidity found in badly damaged or spoiled corn 
was far greater than the amount of acid or the degree of acidity 
found in corn which was sound and in good condition. This fact 
was well established by the researches of Black and Alsberg, 1 of the 
Department of Agriculture, and by the work of foreign chemists and 
other investigators 2 on the toxicity of spoiled corn. 
It was for the purpose of ascertaining the range in the degree of 
acidity of commercial corn and to determine the reliability of the 
acid test as a criterion of quality and soundness of corn from the 
standpoint of commercial grading that the investigation herein 
described was undertaken. 
METHOD, APPARATUS, AND REAGENTS. 
DESCRIPTION OF METHOD. 
Select a representative sample (about 100 grams) of corn to be 
tested and grind to such fineness that at least 80 per cent will pass 
through a 2-millimeter sieve. Weigh accurately duplicate samples 
of 10 grams and transfer each to a 300 c. c. wide-mouthed Erlen- 
1 Black, O. F., and Alsberg, C L. The determination of the deterioration of maize, with incidental 
reference to pellagra. U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry, Bulletin 199, 36 p., 
1910. 
2 Schindler, Josef. Anleitung zur Beurteilung des Maises und seiner Mahlprodukte mit Riicksicht auf 
ihre eignung als Nahrungsmittel. Innsbruck, 1909, 43 p., 1 pi. 
Note. — This bulletin shows how the acid test may be used in the commercial grading of corn; it 
intended for chemists, grain buyers, and all who are interested in grading corn, more especially in the 
corn belt and at terminal markets. 
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