2i2 STORRS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 
it. They are still eaten oftener with breakfast than with any 
other meal, however, hence it has come about that the whole 
class of especially prepared cereal foods now on the market is 
commonly designated as ‘‘ breakfast foods.’’ 
METHODS OF PREPARATION. 
The exact details of the methods of preparing different brands 
cannot be given, because many manufacturers refuse to let their 
processes be known. Indeed many of them claim to possess 
secret processes of manufacture by which the nutritive value of 
their product is marvelously enhanced. No thoughtful person 
need be deceived by any such claim. It is perfectly obvious 
that the nutritive value of any prepared cereal product depends 
entirely upon that of the grain from which it is prepared. The 
only special virtue that may be claimed for any process of 
preparation is that it may render available to the body a greater 
proportion of the total nutritive material in the grain than can be 
obtained from the same grain prepared by some other process. 
These supposed secrets of different methods of manufacture 
are therefore of little importance. The more important features 
of the different processes are well understood, and a brief men- 
tion of these may help to an understanding of the nature of 
different kinds of prepared cereals. 
Cleaning the grain.—The first step consists of the cleaning 
of the grain. In well appointed factories this includes not only 
winnowing and washing, but also the removal of dirt, foreign 
seeds, and other impurities, by means of ingenious forms of ap- 
paratus. It is doubtless true of most if not all of these cereal 
products that the grain is quite HOT MEHL cleansed before it is 
further treated. 
Partial or complete cooking.—In the simple, old-fashioned 
breakfast foods, the preparation consisted chiefly in removing 
the outer coat, or bran, and sometimes in cracking or crushing 
the grain. Hulled corn was prepared by maceration in a weak 
solution of lye, whereby the tough skin was removed. ‘The 
lye also imparted to the corn a peculiar flavor. Barley was 
sometimes treated in a similar manner. In some cases the corn 
was also parched to improve its flavor and keeping qualities, 
and barley was ‘‘ pearled.’’ 
ie oye) et) 
