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FOOD INDUSTRIES
An Elementary Text-Book on the Produc-
tion and Manufacture of Staple Foods
DESIGNED FOR USE IN HIGH
SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
by
HERMANN T. VULTE, Ph. D., F. C. S.
Assistant Professor of Household Arts, Teachers College, Columbia University
SADIE Bf VANDERBILT, B. S.
Instructor in Household Arts, Teachers College, Columbia University
SECOND EDITION
E ASTON. PA.:
THE CHEMICAL PUBLISHING CO.
1916
Copyright, 1914, by H. T. Vui/fE
Copyright, 1916, by H. T. Vui/fE;
SEB38 1916
ICI.A437727
PREFACE.
After many years' experience in lecturing on the processes of
food manufacture, the authors feel encouraged to submit the
result of their labors as a guide to those who wish to study this
most important and interesting subject.
Certainly no branch of general manufacturing has undergone
so many and such important changes in the past twenty-five years
as the food industries. The public have largely benefited from
these changes both in pocket and health.
Unfortunately there still lingers in the minds of many, the
impression that food stuffs have not the same dietetic value they
possessed in the past, and that manipulation gives them an appear-
ance of quality they do not possess. It is the universal experi-
ence of the authors that manufacturers have not only improved
the quality of their products in every possible way, but having
nothing to conceal except from competitors, are most anxious to
enlighten the interested consumer in the processes involved.
Some mistakes have certainly been made in the past, but with
no evil intent and largely through ignorance. As time passes
these errors are corrected and it can confidently be stated that
the public receives to-day better and cleaner material .at a lower
price than formerly. The economic improvement is largely due
to the general utilization of by-products, many of which do not
appear in any list of foods.
The following pages do not claim to deal with any industry
from the purely technical standpoint, but aim to point out the
most essential parts of each. A knowledge of chemistry and
physics is not absolutely essential but is very helpful.
As a pioneer book on the subject any suggestions furnished
by teachers would be very gratefully received.
The authors are greatly indebted to Dr. H. C. Humphrey,
Dr. W. D. Home, Dr. W. E. J. Kirk, Mr. George S. Ward, Mr.
Chauncey E. Foster, Mr. Ernst Mlihlhauser and Mr. R. E.
Tomlinson for valuable suggestions in regard to the subject
matter of this book and to Mrs. Ellen B. McGowan of Teachers
College for reading the manuscript. They wish also to acknowl-
edge the assistance of the many manufacturers who have thrown
their plants open for inspection and who have allowed the use of
photographs and cuts of machinery.
September, 1914. July, 1916.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
Introduction 1-4
Chapter I — Food Principles 5—16
Functions. Conservation of Energy. Elements in
Foods. Food Principles. Examples of Each Group.
Functions of Each Group. Carbohydrates. Classifi- .
cation. Formation. Occurrence Important Proper-
ties. Fats. Composition. Occurrence. Properties.
Proteins. Composition. Classification. Occurrence.
Properties. Importance of Water.
Chapter II — Water 17-37
' Classification of Natural Waters. Water Supply.
Historical. Classification of Potable Water. Atmos-
pheric. Surface Water. Subsoil Water. Pollution
of Wells. Contamination of Public Supplies. Danger
of Impure Water. Diseases from Water. Purifica-
tion. Artificial Methods. Bacterial Action. Filtra-
tion. Use of Sterilizing Agents. .Distillation. House-
hold Methods. Boiling. Use of Domestic Filters.
Judging a Water Supply. Ice Supply. Mineral
Waters. Natural Mineral Springs. Occurrence.
Medicinal Value. Artificial Mineral Waters.
Chapter III — Cereals 38-49
Biological Origin. Geographical Distribution. Use
in our Country. Indian Corn or Maize. Origin.
Cultivation. Varieties. Early Methods of Prepara-
tion. Old Milling Methods. Samp. Hominy and
Cornmeal. Modern Milling. Uses. Adulteration.
Rice. Origin. Geographical Distribution. Composi-
tion. Cultivation. Milling. Adulteration. Uses.
Oats. Composition. Oatmeal. Milling. Adultera-
tion. Barley. Origin. Cultivation. Composition.
Uses. Mill Products.
Chapter IV— The King of Cereals. Old Milling
Processes 5°~^3
Wheat. Origin. Geographical Distribution. Culti-
vation. Structure of the Wheat Grain. Value of
Wheat. Varieties. Old Milling Processes. Hand-
stones. The Pestle and Mortar. The Quern. The
Grist Mill. Disadvantages of Old Processes.
CONTENTS V
PAGE
Chapter V— Modern Milling and Mill Products 64-78
Dust Collectors. Fundamental Objects in Milling.
Cleaning of the Wheat. Tempering. Separation of
the Middlings. Reduction of the Middlings. Advan-
tages of the New Process. Testing of Flour. Wheat
Blends. Adulteration. Bleaching. Mill Products.
Hard Wheat Flour. Soft Wheat Flour. Prepared
Flour. Graham Flour. Entire Wheat Flour. Gluten
Flour. Cereal Department. Rye. Composition.
Uses. Adulteration.
Chapter VI — Breakfast Foods and Coffee Substitutes. . 79-85
Breakfast Foods. Classification. Uncooked. Partly
Cooked. Cooked. Malted Preparations. Adultera-
tion. Comparison of Old and New Cereals. Coffee
Substitutes.
Chapter VII- — Utilization of Flour. Breadmaking. . . . 86-112
Primitive Breadmaking. Leavened Bread. Yeast.
Leavening Effect of Yeast. Yeast Preparations.
Home Brew. Brewer's Yeast. Compressed Yeast
Cake. Dried Yeast. Salt Rising. Object in Bread-
making. Steps in Breadmaking. Fermentation.
Straight or Off-Hand Dough. Ferment and Dough.
Sponge and Dough. Baking. Cooling. A Modern
Bread Factory. Souring and Its Prevention. Adul-
teration. Losses in Fermentation. Aerated Bread.
The Cracker or Biscuit Industry. Macaroni.
Chapter VIII — Leavening Agents 1 13-122
Advantages and Disadvantages of Yeast. Chemical
Agents. Baking Powders. Tartrate Powder. Cal-
cium Phosphate Powders. Sodium Phosphate Pow-
ders. Alum Phosphate Powders. Ammonia Powders.
Cream of Tartar. Tartaric Acid. Acid Phosphate
of Lime. Bicarbonate of Soda. LeBlanc Method.
Solvay Process. Niagara Process.
Chapter IX — Starch and Allied Industries 123-135
Starch. Composition and Formation. Physical
Characteristics. Properties. Uses. Source of Supply.
Potato Starch. Extraction. Processes in Manufac-
VI CONTENTS
PAGE
ture. Tapioca. Corn Products Industry. Processes
in Manufacture. By-products and Their Uses. Dex-
trins. Corn Syrup or Glucose. Processes in Manu-
facture.
Chapter X — The Sugar Industry 136-158
Source. History of the Sugar Cane. History of the
Sugar Beet. Comparison of Cane and Beet Sugar.
Properties of Sugar. The Cane Sugar Industry.
Growth of the Cane. Production of Raw Cane
1 Sugar. The Beet Sugar Industry. Beet Culture.
Production of Raw Beet Sugar. Refining of Raw
Sugar. Granulated Sugar. Block Sugar. Powdered
Sugar. Utilization of the By-products. Yellow
Sugar. Maple Sugar. Date-palm Sugar. Sorghum.
Cane Syrup. Adulteration.
Chapter XI — Fruits, Vegetables and Nuts 159-168
Importance in the Diet. Definition and Classifica-
tion. Composition. Cultivation. Handling on the
Farm. Transportation and Storage. Marketing.
Candied Fruit. Jams, Jellies, Marmalade, Fruit
Butter. Nuts. Composition. Digestibility. Nut
Products.
Chapter XII — Alcoholic Beverages 169-180
Classification. Historical. Fermentation. The Brew-
ing of Beer. Raw Material. Processes in Manu-
facture. Composition of Beer. Adulteration. Sub-
stitution. Kinds of Beer.
Chapter XIII — Alcoholic Beverages (Continued) 181-191
The Wine Industry. Processes in the Manufacture.
Champagne. Sophisticated Wines. Adulteration.
By-products. Distilled Liquors. Brandy. Rum.
Whiskey. Liquers. Cordials. Gin. Cider. Vine-
gar. Koumiss.
Chapter XIV — Fats 192-204
Extraction. Purification. Butter. Composition.
Processes in Butter-making. Renovated Butter.
Oleomargarine. Olive Oil. Cottonseed Oil. Peanut
Oil. Coconut Oil.
CONTENTS Vll
PAGE
Chapter XV — Animal Foods 205-223
Meat. The Physical Structure and Chemical Con-
stitution. Meat Inspection. Diseases of Animals.
Reasons for Cooking Meat. Changes in Cooking.
Beef Extracts. Beef Juices. Internal Organs. Fish.
Shellfish. Oysters. Clams. Scallops. Mussels.
Lobsters. Crabs. Poultry. Eggs.
Chapter XVI — The Packing House 224-232
Historical. Growth and Breadth of the Industry.
Processes in the Packing House. Inspection and
Slaughtering. Use of By-products. Hides. Fat.
The Feet. Bone Products. Tankage. Blood. Mix-
ing Fertilizers. Glue and Gelatin. Canning of
Meat. Beef Extracts. Sausages. Minor Products.
Chapter XVII— Milk 233-246
Source. Composition. Importance of the Milk
Supply. Diseases from Milk. Necessity for Clean-
liness. Safeguarding the Milk Supply. Our Duty
to the Producer. Testing of Milk. Sterilization.
Pasteurization. Certified Milk. Modified Milk.
Chapter XVIII— Milk Products 247-258
Condensed Milk. Evaporated Milk. Concentrated
Milk. Milk Powders. Market Cream. Ice Cream.
By-products of the Butter Industry. Skim Milk.
Dried Casein. Milk Sugar. Buttermilk. Artificially
Soured Milk. Cheese. Historical. Composition.
Cheesemaking. Adulteration.
Chapter XIX — Preservation of Foods 259-270
Classification. Drying. Cooling. Sterilization and
Exclusion of Air. Sugaring. Salting. Smoking.
Use of Fats and Oils. Use of Spices. Alcohol.
Use of Preservatives. Artificial Sweetening. Arti-
ficial Coloring.
Chapter XX — The Canning Industry 271-278
Historical. Process. Success of Canning. Meat
Products. Containers. Advantages and Disadvan-
tages of Glass. Advantages and Disadvantages of
Tin. Adulteration.
Vlll CONTENTS
PAGE
Chapter XXI — Tea', Coffee and Cocoa , 279-300
Historical. Cultivation of the Tea Plant. Classifica-
tion. Processes in Manufacture. Black Tea. Green
Tea. Adulteration. Tea as a Beverage. General
Rules for Tea-making. Composition of the Beverage.
Coffee. Historical. The Coffee Plant. Cultivation.
Processes in Manufacture. Adulteration. Coffee as
a Beverage. Coffee Extracts. Cocoa. Historical.
Cultivation. Processes in Manufacture. Chocolate.
Adulteration. As a Beverage. Physiological Effect
of Tea, Coffee and Cocoa.
Chapter- XXII — Spices and Condiments 301-313
Salt. Pepper. Mustard. Curry Powder. Vinegar.
Spices. Uses. Spices as Preservatives. Cinnamon
and Cassia. Cloves. Allspice. Nutmeg and Mace.
Ginger. Adulteration. Vanilla and Lemon Extracts.
Bibliography 314-321
Index 3 2 3-327
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS,
PAGE
Sedimentation Basins .25
Section of an English Filter Bed 26
Cleaning London Filter Beds 27
Interior of the East Albany, N. Y., Filter Plant 29
Distillation Apparatus 30
The Berkefeld Filter 31
Carbonic Acid Gas Generator 35
Longitudinal Section Through a Grain of Wheat 55
Section Through Part of a Grain of Wheat 56
Hand-stone 59
The Mortar and Pestle 60
Roughening Burr-Stones 62
Dust Collectors .* 65
Roller Mills 68
Middling Purifier 69
The Modern Sieve or Bolter 70
Bolting Reel 71
Bread Made from Entire Wheat, Patent and Graham Flours 76
Flour Sifter and Blender 99
Dough Mixing Machine 100
Dough Dividing Machine 101
Front View of Dough Divider 102
Machine for Wrapping Bread 103
Bread After Leaving Wrapping Machine 104
Baking Floor Showing Ovens 105
Flour Bolter, Blender and Automatic Weigher 106
Sweet Cracker Machine 106
Sheds and Board for Drying Tapioca 126
Steeped Corn Running to Crushers 128
Crushers 129
Separators 130
Hydraulic Presses for Oil 130
Dripping Boxes 132
Emptying Starch from Drip Boxes 133
Cane Mill, Philippines 139
Cane Crushers, Hawaii 140
Open Pan Evaporators, Philippines 141
Vacuum Pans, Hawaii 142
Multiple-effect Evaporating Apparatus 143
Vacuum Strike Pan ■ 144
Centrifugal Machines 145
The Wild Beet 146
ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
The Sugar Beet of To-day 147
Distribution of Beet Sugar Factories 148
The Circular Diffusion Battery 151
Filter Bags 154
Roller Mill for Grinding Barley Malt 174
Filter Presses for Clarifying Wort 175
Copper Boilers 1 76
Filter Presses for Clarifying Beer before Bottling 178
Early Experiment in Cream Separator 195
Improved DeLaval Cream Separator 196
Chilling Butterine 200
Beef Viscera Inspection 226
Lard Boiling 228
Cattle, Burnside Farm, N. Y 233
Bacterial Tests of Creamery Milk 237
Bacterial Tests of Creamery Milk 238
Pasteurization of Milk 243
Holding Tanks 243
Milk Coolers , 244
Milk Bottling Machine 244
Condensed Milk Industry 248
The Sausage Smoke House 266
Stock Boilers 273
Sterilizing Process 274
Can Closing Machines 277
The Tea Plant 280
Young Shoot of Tea Plant 282
Withering Tea Leaves ' 283
Rolling Tea Leaves 284
Coffee Bean 288
Coffee Cultivation and Industry in Brazil 290
Coffee Roasting Room 292
Pods and Leaves 295
Section of Cocoa Fruit 296
Grinding Room 298
Pepper Plantation near Singapore 303
Rolling Cinnamon Bark into Quills 307
Clove Tree of Zanzibar 309
Digging and Peeling Ginger in the Fields 310
INTRODUCTION.
In regard to the production and manufacture of our food
material, there is a prevalent ignorance among women to-day
which is in marked contrast to the knowledge possessed on this
subject by the old-fashioned housekeeper. The reason for this
can readily be seen, for in the early days, and in fact until com-
paratively recent years, agriculture was very near the home and
in the majority of cases the housewife herself was the manufac-
turer. The spinning-wheel now so highly prized as a memento
of the olden times, testifies to the fact that our grandmothers
knew full well how to manufacture the clothing for their fami-
lies. A closer look at these same days will show that they knew
equally well how to prepare many food products and materials
needed for household work.
As civilization has advanced the tendency toward the massing
together of our population in towns and cities has gradually
changed greatly the home life of the people. Agriculture no
longer is carried on in proximity to the home, and large com-
mercial establishments remote from the household now do the
work that at one time was the daily duty of the housewife.
Many such examples can be found. In our later study of the
history of milling, we will find that among all primitive people
the woman was the miller, grinding each day the grain she was
to make into bread; the preparation of the meal and breadmaking
were practically one operation. Later on in the history of the
human family, the making of meal and flour passed into the
hands of the village miller, who ground the grain for the pro-
ducers of his neighborhood, who in turn bought their sack of
flour directly from him. As this business grew in size it grad-
ually was moved further and further from the home, until the
average housekeeper of to-day knows little of the mighty indus-
try that is preparing the flour for her use. More and more each
year, we find that the making of this flour into bread is in like
manner passing into the hands of the modern manufacturer of
bread. The old-time home-made loaf of bread is still found in
isolated districts but seldom in city life. In the preparation of
2 FOOD INDUSTRIES
alcoholic beverages we again find this marked change. As late
as our own colonial days, every housewife knew how to prepare
beer and wines and her reputation as a homekeeper was judged
as much by the beer that she could brew, as by the loaf of bread
that she could bake. The curing of meat and fish by salting and
smoking, the drying of fruits and vegetables are now known only
to the housekeeper in isolated sections of our country, for the
city woman must depend on the manufacturer's supply. Even
the preservation of our food by canning is rapidly passing into
the hands of the canning industry.
These marked changes in our food preparation have brought
new types of foods on the market and have greatly increased the
variety. To the modern housekeeper they have brought both
advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages. — I. There has been a great lessening of household
drudgery, giving an opportunity for broader interests and for
more recreation than was known to our grandmothers.
II. In the majority of cases better products can be obtained
for the processes used by the housekeeper were necessarily very
crude. Manufacturers for financial reasons must give much
study to their particular industry and new and better methods
are constantly being sought. This has led to improved sanitary
conditions and a standardizing of the quality of the product.
III. In recent years there has been a great extension of the
open season; fresh fruits and vegetables are now quite common
in the city markets the year round. The variety of food has been
also increased by canning.
IV. Great improvements have taken place in the science of
agriculture leading gradually to the raising not only of better
products but to the increase in the area of production, of prod-
ucts which formerly were obtainable only from a limited section,
such as oranges and other fruits, sugar from the beet and wines.
V. New and improved methods of food preservation have been
largely studied, such as canning and the use of cold storage.
VI. The co-operation with scientists has led to protection
against certain diseases, such as tuberculosis from meat and milk,
typhoid from the oyster, trichina from pork, etc.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 3
VII. Articles of food are now put up in better and more sani-
tary packages and better packing material is being used.
Disadvantages. — I. The cost of living has been greatly in-
creased.
a. Foods may be roughly divided into permanent and perish-
able material. Among the permanent foods, which include sugar
and flour the cost has decreased. The great advance in price of
our food material is found entirely in the perishable foods. Such
material is now being brought from a long distance, thus adding
cost of freight and preservation during transportation. The
many hands through which food material must pass also increases
the cost.
b. The open market has led to expensive tastes. Luxuries look
attractive and the cost is great where such products have been
brought from a distance.
II. The women of our country represent about 90 per cent,
of the retail buyers in food products. A lack of knowledge and
many times of interest have led to great deception on the part of
some manufacturers.
a. Until the Pure Food Law went into effect, there was a great
amount of adulterated material put on the market and preserva-
tives were most freely used.
b. The substitution of cheaper products with intent to deceive
the purchaser was also a common practice. Butter substitutes
were sold as butter, cottonseed oil as olive oil, apple jelly as
currant, canned herring as sardines, potted veal for chicken, and
the like.
c. Following these evils there gradually crept in the custom of
printing misleading statements on the outside wrappers as to the
effect and food value of the contents. Much advertising was
done also giving these false impressions.
Had the modern housekeeper possessed the knowledge of her
grandmother as to the production and manufacture of food ma-
terial she was buying, manufacturers would not have found it
advantageous to practice such frauds for so long a period.
The United States Government has for many years been study-
4 FOOD INDUSTRIES
ing and experimenting along these lines, and bulletins have been
printed which can be procured free or at a very small cost, yet
comparatively few housekeepers seek such information. This
lack of knowledge and interest led the faculty of the School of
Practical Arts, Columbia University, to introduce many years
ago, into its domestic science course, a study of the manufacture
of food material, hoping that a more extended knowledge of this
subject would lead to greater interest and more intelligent buying
on the part of the modern housekeeper.
In connection with the following course of lectures, excursions
should be taken as frequently as possible to manufacturing estab-
lishments, where processes and methods can be studied and sani-
tary conditions noted. Wherever such excursions are not prac-
tical, illustrative material and demonstrations should be most
freely used, accompanied whenever possible by the use of the
stereopticon and moving picture slides.
CHAPTER I.
FOOD PRINCIPLES.
Food principles, sometimes referred to as food stuffs, are
types of chemical compounds differing in exact composition but
of equal energy value. They are reducible to similar forms by
the process of digestion.
Functions. — Food has two important functions : first, to supply
tissue for the growth of the young child, and since life's pro-
cesses are continually breaking down this body structure, to
supply needed material for its repair; second, to furnish the or-
ganism with fuel which in combustion gives power to carry on
life's activities ; the heat produced is utilized to maintain the tem-
perature necessary to the organism.
Conservation of Energy. — Locked up in the resources of nature
is a vast wealth of energy. Man has only to seize this energy and
convert it into a form which he needs. Thus we find wood, coal,
petroleum and natural gas being utilized to give heat and light.
Should the energy be contained in a compound which can be
finally assimilated by the human body he can accept it as a food.
Elements in Food. — Nature does not always give us these
foods in a simple state ; most of them are quite complex in their
nature. When analyzed, however, it has been found that even
the complicated forms are composed of the most common ele-
ments, such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, with a small
amount of sulphur, phosphorus, iron, calcium, etc.
Food Principles. — Although these elements may be differently
combined, they can be divided into groups which are called the
four food principles or food stuffs :
1. Carbohydrates composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
2. Fats composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
3. Protein composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen,
sulphur, generally phosphorus, sometimes iron, etc.
4. Mineral matter, . such as sodium, potassium, calcium, mag-
nesium, iron, sulphur, phosphorus, chlorine, and minute
quantities of iodine, fluorine and silicon.
6 FOOD INDUSTRIES
Water formerly regarded as a food principle, although having
peculiar and intimate relations with the four accepted types,
does not undergo metabolism and hence is excluded.
Examples of Each Group. — Among the carbohydrates we find
well-known foods, such as starch, sugar, cereals and vegetables.
Fats may appear in different forms, such as liquids, semi-solids
and solids, represented by olive oil, butter and suet. Protein in
its most concentrated form occurs in the white of egg, large
amounts being also found in meat, fish, cheese, eggs and milk.
Usually we look to animal life for our protein supply, although it
occurs also in the vegetable kingdom, relatively large amounts be-
ing found in beans, cottonseed meal, peas, lentils and smaller
amounts in wheat, maize and other cereals. The vegetable king-
dom supplies mankind with most of his carbohydrate food,
animal carbohydrate occurring only in such forms as milk-sugar,
glycogen and glucose. Fat occurs frequently in both animal and
vegetable life.
Function of Each Group. — Although all of the food principles
have nutritive value each group has its own special function.
This work may be: first, directly building tissue; second, giving
energy and heat; third, making it possible for other groups to
carry out their special function. The great work of building
tissue and gradually repairing it as it wears away can be per-
formed by protein and inorganic matter, water always assisting
in this work. The other food principles cannot build tissue ;
therefore protein, mineral matter and water are absolutely essen-
tial to life. None of the three is alone sufficient. The work of
producing energy is done by all the food principles, although only
in a very limited sense by mineral matter.
Tissue Builders:
Protein.
Mineral matter.
Energy Producers :
Protein.
Carbohydrate.
Fat.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 7
Protein alone is able to fulfil both of these functions of foods ;
for this reason it is of vast importance in the diet. Without
protein life is impossible for any length of time for the wear and
tear on the tissue must be replaced. With protein assisted by
water life can be maintained for some time.
CARBOHYDRATES.
In order to obtain the necessary amount of heat and muscular
energy it is necessary to supply the body with fuel. This work
is done largely by the carbohydrates, a group containing carbon,
hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen and oxygen occur in the
same proportion as in water, and the carbon as six or some mul-
tiple of six in most of the forms utilized as human food. The
carbohydrates owe their value as a fuel very largely to the carbon
which on oxidation gives off much heat energy. They are found
in a large variety of foods : flour, meal, cereals, sugar, starch,
vegetables and fruits. Sometimes they appear in simple forms
which can easily be made use of by the organism ; at other times
so complicated is the molecule, that only after many chemical
changes do they assume a form simple enough to pass through
the membrane of the intestines. From the standpoint of nutri-
tion the alimentary canal must be looked upon as outside the
body, the lining of this canal being the outer coating of the body
proper. All foods therefore must be reduced to chemical com-
pounds which are capable of passing through the walls of the
intestines before assimilation. The most important properties
for assimilation are solubility and osmotic power. Those carbo-
hydrates which cannot be reduced to forms having these proper-
ties cannot be utilized as food.
Classification. —
Monosaccharids or Simple Sugars, C 6 H 12 6 .
Glucose or grape sugar, formerly called dextrose.
Fructose or fruit sugar, formerly called levulose.
Galactose.
Disaccharids or Double Sugars, C 12 H 22 la .
Sucrose or sugar.
Maltose.
Lactose or milk sugar.
8 FOOD INDUSTRIES
Polysaccharids or Complex Sugars, (C 6 H 10 O 5 )„ .
Cellulose.
Starch.
Dextrin.
Glycogen.
Formation of Carbohydrates. — The monosaccharides or simple
sugars are built up in the leaf of the plant by the absorption of
the carbon dioxide and water of the atmosphere. With the
assistance of the chlorophyll cells of green plants and the energy
of the sun's rays, the following compounds are formed in the
leaf :
H 2 + C0 2 — HCHO + 2
6HCHO — C 6 H 12 6 .
Glucose, C 6 H 12 6 , is soluble and diffusible so it can pass from
one part of the plant to another. When this material is to be
stored as reserve food for the plant, water is withdrawn and
starch, an insoluble and colloidal compound, is formed:
»0,H u O a ^ (C 6 H 10 O 5 )« + H 2 0.
Occurence. — Glucose is an important simple sugar widely dis-
tributed in nature and is found to a great extent in the same
plants as contain sucrose. Grapes contain about 20 per cent.,
hence the common name grape sugar. It occurs also in sweet
corn and most of the garden vegetables and fruits. In animal
life it occurs in small quantities in the blood, 0.1 per cent., where
it is constantly being burned to produce energy. Where the body
has more or less lost the power to burn glucose as in diabetes,
it accumulates and is finally eliminated by the kidneys.
Fructose is usually found associated with glucose. It occurs
in the juices of sweet fruits, the largest amount being found in
honey.
Galactose is not found in nature. It occurs principally in the
splitting of lactose or milk-sugar during the process of digestion.
Sucrose is the most important of the sugars as it is the ordi-
nary crystallized sugar of commerce. 'It is found widely dis-
tributed in the vegetable kingdom in the fruit and juices of a
variety of plants, many times occurring in relatively large
FOOD INDUSTRIES 9
amounts as in the pineapple, strawberry and carrot. Sucrose is
extracted commercially from the sugar cane, the sugar beet, the
sorghum cane, the date palm and the sugar maple.
Maltose never occurs in nature in large quantities. It is the
carbohydrate which is formed from starch during the germina-
tion of seeds. As a commercial product it plays an important
part in the brewing industry, in the so-called malted breakfast
foods and in malted milk.
Lactose occurs in the milk of all mammals usually from 3 to
7 per cent, and is the most abundant of the animal carbohydrates.
Cellulose or crude fiber constitutes the framework of all vege-
table tissue, so we find it widely distributed throughout the
vegetable kingdom. It occurs in wood, linen, cotton, hemp, flax
and paper. Much of our food, such as cereals, vegetables and
fruit contain cellulose, but as it cannot be made soluble in the
organism it has no food value. Other forms of life can utilize
it, however, and we find it serving as food for insects and bacteria.
Starch as it is found in nature is also insoluble and indiffusible,
hut here we find a carbohydrate which can be changed to a
simpler form within the alimentary canal. It is found largely
in vegetables amd cereals where it is stored as food for the plant.
Dextrin or, as it is erroneously called gum, is formed from
starch by the process of hydrolysis. In nature it occurs in ger-
minating cereals.
Glycogen, often spoken of as the animal starch, although it
more closely resembles dextrin, is found to the largest extent
in shell-fish, especially the scallop. It is also abundant in the
muscle and liver of both higher and lower animals, where it is
stored and ultimately utilized as a source of muscular energy.
In plants glycogen has a restricted distribution, although it occurs
abundantly in certain fungi to the extent of 30 per cent, of the
dry weight.
Important Properties. — Among the most important properties
of the carbohydrates are found solubility, diffusibility, hydrolysis,
crystallization and action on polarized light.
IO FOOD INDUSTRIES
Hydrolysis. — This important property occurs repeatedly in the
changing of complicated forms of food material, to such simple
forms that they can be utilized by the organism. It has been
defined by Alexander Smith as "A double decomposition involv-
ing water" and by other well-known chemists as "A simplification
with absorption of water." Changes taking place during hydroly-
sis are always brought about by catalytic agents. These agents
may be heat, dilute acid, finely divided metal, enzyme action, etc.
The action always takes place in the presence of water, both
the water molecule and the complex carbohydrate molecule break-
ing down to form a new carbohydrate molecule in which the
hydrogen and oxygen appear in the proportion as in water.
2C 6 H 10 O 5 + H 2 ^ C 12 H 22 O n ,
Starch Maltose
C„H M O u -f H 2 ^ 2C 6 H ]2 6 .
Maltose Glucose
Sucrose is a double sugar. When it breaks down under the
influence of a catalytic agent it yields two simple sugars as
C 12 H 22 O n + H 2 ^ C 6 H 12 6 glucose,
C 6 H 12 6 fructose.
A special name has been given to these two molecules, glucose
and fructose. They are called invert sugar. This name has been
given to them on account of their peculiar behavior toward polar-
ized light. Before hydrolysis a sugar solution will rotate the
plane of polarized light to the right, after hydrolysis to the left,
hence the name invert sugar and the term inversion.
Hydrolysis also occurs in the digestion of fats and proteins.
FATS.
Composition. — True fats are composed of the elements carbon,
hydrogen and oxygen. Little was known of how these elements
were combined in the formation of fats, until the investigation
by Chevreul in the early part of the nineteenth century. He dis-
covered that they were essentially salt-like bodies formed to-
gether with water by the combination of an acid and a base.
With the exception of some of the waxes the base is always the
same, the triatomic alcohol glycerin, C 3 H 5 (OH) 3 . The acid
FOOD INDUSTRIES II
usually belongs to a series termed fatty acids and varies accord-
ing to the fat. The three most common fatty acids are oleic,
palmitic and stearic acid. Unless a fat or oil contains both gly-
cerin and a fatty acid, it is not a true fat.
C 3 H 5 (OH) 3 + 3 C n H S3 COOH ^ C 3 H 5 (C 18 H 33 2 ) 3 + 3 H 2 0,
Glycerin Oleic acid. Olein Water
C s H 5 (OH) 3 + 3 C ]5 H 31 COOH ^ C 3 H 5 (C 16 H 31 2 ) 3 + 3H 2 0,
Glycerin Palmitic acid Palmitin Water
C 3 H 5 (OH) 3 + 3 C 17 H 35 COOH ^ C 3 H 5 (C 18 H 35 2 )a + 3H 2 0.
Glycerin Stearic acid Stearin Water
Palmitic and stearic acids belong to the saturated class and
cannot combine with any other elements except by substitution.
Oleic acid is the most familiar example of the unsaturated class
possessing the power of directly combining with other elements.
This fact has an important bearing in the absorption of oxygen
by some fats, giving rise to the phenomenon of drying. In re-
cent years the addition of two or more hydrogen atoms to various
unsaturated groups, thereby producing saturated forms, has be-
come a great industry.
Two. or more of these fatty acids are generally present in all
fats — mixed, or chemically combined. They differ in their
physical nature. Olein is liquid at ordinary temperature and
whenever this body predominates the fat appears in the liquid
form as in olive oil. Palmitin is semi-solid; it predominates in
butter and lard and is the largest part of the human fat. When-
ever stearin is present in a relatively large amount, the fat is a
solid as in suet and tallow.
Occurrence. — Fats are found widely distributed throughout
both the animal and vegetable kingdoms. In plants the percent-
age varies to a great extent, approximately I per cent, being
found in barley and 67 per cent, in Brazil nuts. Fat usually
occurs in inverse ratio to the starch. It is often difficult to
extract on account of the resistant character of the tissue. In
animal life fats are present in all tissues and organs and in all
fluids with the exception of the normal urine. Large quantities
are found in the abdominal cavity surrounding the kidneys and
12 FOOD INDUSTRIES
beneath the skin of marine animals or those living in cold cli-
mates. Being present often in large quantities it is very easy
to extract.
Properties. — The most important properties are solubility,
change of state, crystallization, drying and non-drying, emulsifi-
cation and saponification.
Solubility. — Fats are soluble in gasoline, ether, chloroform, and
carbon disulphide. These solvents may be used for cleansing
purposes, for extraction and removal of grease stains.
Change of State. — All fats have a definite melting point. They
exist as liquids, semi-solids and solids according to the tempera-
ture. This property is taken advantage of in the extraction of
fats and as a means of identification.
Crystallization. — All fats are highly crystalline. They form
definite crystals and can be readily identified under a microscope.
This has been of great value in detecting adulteration.
Drying and Non-drying. — Certain oils are oxidized when ex-
posed to. the air and are converted into thick gummy masses.
These drying oils, such as linseed, when applied in thin layers on
a surface form a dry, hard, transparent film. They are used
extensively in paints and varnishes. Some oils, such as cotton-
seed, possess this property to a limited extent, while others similar
to olive oil show no sign of drying even when exposed to the air
for an indefinite period.
Bmulsification. — Fats can be broken up- in small globules by
mechanical agitation. If these globules can be coated with a sub-
stance which will prevent them from running together, they will
remain in suspension. Egg albumin is very frequently the agent
used in making an emulsion; example — mayonnaise dressing.
This property is taken advantage of in soap-making and in the
cleansing of fatty material by means of soap. It always plays an
important part in the early stage of the digestion of fats.
Saponification. — The hydrolytic process of splitting a fat into
its constituents, fatty acid and glycerin, is termed saponification.
It may be brought about by agents, such as heat, enzymes, alkali
or acid. Saponification always occurs in the digestion of fats and
in the process of soap-making.
FOOD INDUSTRIES
13
PROTEINS.
Composition. — The proteins are very complex compounds
differing greatly in composition and properties, but all are of
high molecular weight. They are composed of carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur usually phosphorus, sometimes iron,
lime, etc. As nitrogen compounds they play an important part
in human nutrition, for they are essential to the growth of the
living cells which make up the tissue.
Classification. — The following is the classification recommended
by the American Physiological Society and the American So-
ciety of Biological Chemists.
f Albumins
Globulins
Glutelins
f Simple • ■ • - l Alcohol solubles
Albuminoids
Histones
Protamines
Proteins 1 Conjugated
Non-protein
Derived
( Extractives
{ Amides
L Amino-acids
Nucleoproteins
Glycoproteins •
Phosphoproteins
Haemoglobins
Lecithoproteins
Primary
^ Secondary
f Proteans
I Meta proteins
1 Coagulated proteins
Proteoses
J Peptones
[ Peptids
Occurrence. — Albumin is found in both plant and animal life.
It occurs most abundantly in the white of egg, where it coagu-
lates on heating in boiling water and becomes a hard white
mass. It appears in milk as lact-albumin, in egg as ov-albumin,
in muscle and blood as serum albumin. A small proportion of the
protein of plant life occurs as albumin.
14 FOOD INDUSTRIES
Globulin is very similar to albumin, but differs from it in solu-
bility. It occurs in both plant and animal life, but is far more
abundant and wide-spread in plant tissue. Globulin is found in
large proportion in hemp-seed, flax-seed, and in the seeds of the
legumes. Animal globulin occurs in muscle and blood.
Glutelins are nitrogenous compounds found in the cereals.
The most familiar example is the glutenin of wheat. Alcohol
solubles is a form of protein also found in cereals. The prin-
cipal one is the gliadin of wheat. Glutenin and gliadin in the
presence of water form the well-known substance gluten.
Albuminoids occur in the skeleton of the body in the connec-
tive tissues, bones, hair, nails, hoofs and horns. It is that form
of protein which yields gelatin on cooking.
Nucleo-proteins are complex proteins which are believed to be
combinations of one or more protein molecules with nucleic acid.
They are closely associated with the nuclei of cells in both plant
and animal life and occur most abundantly in asparagus tips,
the hearts of lettuce and internal organs, such as liver, heart,
kidney and pancreas. In the cleavage of the molecule during
digestion true nucleo-proteins are believed to yield uric acid.
Glycoproteins are compounds of the protein molecule with a
substance or substances containing a carbohydrate group other
than a nucleic acid.
Phospho-proteins are proteins closely combined with elements,
such as phosphorus and sulphur. The most familiar examples
are the caseinogen of milk and the vitellin of egg.
Haemoglobins are compounds of the protein molecule with
hematin or a similar substance. Lecithoproteins are nitrogenous
bodies combined with a fat radical.
Protein Hydrolysis. — As in the carbohydrates protein must
undergo hydrolysis or a simplification before such compounds
can be assimilated by the body. This change involves a breaking
down of the protein molecule and the taking up of the elements
of water under the influence of agents, such as heat, dilute acids
or alkalis and enzyme action. The products formed are known
as derived proteins. Primary derived proteins are those which
FOOD INDUSTRIES . 1 5
have been only slightly modified, secondary derived forms those
having been more completely acted upon by the hydrolytic agent.
In this way are formed coagulated proteins, meta-proteins, pro-
teoses, peptones and peptids. Peptones for a long period were
believed to be the final product of enzyme action in digestion, but
that action is now believed to be continued to the amino-acid.
Extractives. — The name extractives has been given to a body
of substances which can be removed from meat and other tis-
sues by the action of cold water. The most important are creatin
and creatinin of muscle tissue. Although nitrogen compounds,
they are not capable of building tissue and it is believed that
they have little or no food value.
Properties. — Among the more important properties of the pro-
teins are solubility, curdling, coagulation and clotting.
Solubility. — Albumin is soluble in cold water; gelatin swells
and all other proteins are insoluble. All proteins are soluble in
dilute sodium chloride, and with the exception of albumin, all are
insoluble in saturated sodium chloride. All proteins are insoluble
in saturated solutions of ammonium sulphate.
Curdling. — Curdling is a change which occurs in connection
with conjugated proteins, such as the caseinogen of milk. It is
the precipitation of a soluble matter by means of an acid, without
serious chemical change.
Coagulation. — Albumins and globulins are made insoluble by
heating to about 158 F. In concentrated solution, such as the
white of egg, solidification is caused throughout the mass. This
is a chemical change always brought about by (1) heat some-
times with the aid of dilute acid or (2) the action of alcohol.
Clotting. — The term clotting is applied to conjugated proteins,
when the molecule is split by means of an enzyme into two
simpler proteins, for example, — caseinogen under the action of
rennet is split into casein and para or pseudo-nuclein.
Importance of Water. — Although no longer regarded as a food
principle, tissue building and in fact most of life's processes,
cannot go on without the presence of water. Blood is the great
carrier of the system and here water is essential. It acts as an
1 6 FOOD INDUSTRIES
eliminator, cleansing the tissues and carrying away waste
matter loitering there. Water acts as a chemical agent. It has
the power of dissolving substances, is essential to hydrolysis and
can therefore assist in bringing about such chemical changes that
otherwise useless food can eventually become part of the living
organism. A no less important function is temperature control.
Its services to all forms of life cannot be over-estimated. Next
to the atmosphere we breathe it is the most essential thing in life.
CHAPTER II.
WATER.
In chemical language we speak of water as a compound con-
taining the elements hydrogen and oxygen in the proportion of
2 to i by volume and i to 8 by weight. Such a compound,
however, is never found in nature and the term as repeatedly
used "pure water" is generally accepted as meaning a water free
from harmful ingredients, and which can therefore be utilized
for drinking and other household purposes ; contaminated or pol-
luted water contains material injurious to health.
Classification of Natural Waters. —
Atmospheric
f Rain •
f
G^fVT/T
Fig. 8. — longitudinal Section Through a Grain of Wheat.
neath the bran coats is found a single layer of large cells full of
granular material of a protein nature. This coating completely
encloses the endosperm and germ and is usually spoken of as the
layer of aleurone cells or the cerealine layer.
The endosperm is the largest and most important part of
the kernel; it is the food part of the grain, the portion utilized
in the making of ordinary flour. It contains cellulose in the cell
walls, a small amount of mineral matter, sugar and practically
all of the starch and protein available as food. Nature designed
56
FOOD INDUSTRIES
it to serve as food for the young plant during the early stages
of growth.
The germ is the part from which the plant is to be repro-
duced. It is more complex in its composition, containing cellu-
lose and soluble carbohydrates, a large proportion of nitrogenous
matter and -is rich in oils and mineral matter.
Fig. 9.— Section Through Part of a Grain of Wheat.
a — Cellular Structure, b— Starch Granules, c — Protein.
Value of Wheat. — Its wide adaptation to different climates and
soils, the ease of cultivation, a quick and abundant harvest, great
number of varieties and the intrinsic food value, of the kernel
would be sufficient to make wheat the leading food grain. There
is still another reason, however, which gives it the rank of
king among cereals. This lies in the fact that it can be so
readily utilized in the making of bread. This quality wheat
shares only with rye and both owe their bread producing power
to the nitrogenous constituents of the endosperm.
Osborne and Voorhees in their investigation of the protein
FOOD INDUSTRIES 57
content of wheat discovered five distinct proteins, the most im-
portant of which were gliadin and glutenin, both occurring in
the endosperm in about the same amount, 4.25 per cent, of the
entire grain. In the presence of water these proteins unite to
form gluten. To the peculiar properties of this gluten, wheat
bread owes its lightness and digestibility, thus giving it first place
among the civilized nations of the world. The other cereals con-
tain similar proteins, but not in the right proportion to form
gluten. With rye flour, gluten can be formed, but it does not
make as light or as acceptable a loaf.
Varieties. — Migrating as it has for many centuries, meeting
different conditions of climate, soil and methods of cultivation,
wheat is now grown in a vast number of varieties. The United
States Department of Agriculture after long experimentation
reduced the number to 245 leading varieties. For the sake of
convenience wheat can be divided into two large classes, winter
wheat and spring wheat.
Winter Wheat. — For the varieties of winter wheat, seeds are
planted in the fall. Enduring the cold and dampness of the
winter, a maximum of starch and a minimum of protein are
developed in the endosperm. Flour made from this wheat is
soft and does not give enough gluten to make as desirable a
loaf of bread as spring varieties; yet it was the flour used among
the so-called civilized nations of Europe until the time of Liebig.
He was the first to suggest that the right kind of flour was not
being used for bread-making. Either the process of milling must
be changed or a new wheat must be grown. His experimenta-
tion was along the lines of agriculture, to grow a variety higher
in gluten- forming proteins and lower in starch content.
Spring Wheat. — Amid much ridicule and after many failures,
Liebig finally convinced agriculturalists that wheat for bread-
making should be grown quickly. The temperature was most
important; dry, hot weather was necessary. Seed if planted in
the spring would ripen in the late summer or fall and be ready
for harvesting in August or September. This opened a new era
in the cultivation of wheat. Soon a hard spring wheat was
being grown that in time was utilized largely for the making of
58 FOOD INDUSTRIES '
bread. An extended study of its production brought about many
reforms along agricultural lines which were also felt by the
growers of winter wheat. These new ideas have enabled farmers
to grow many varieties of winter wheat higher in their protein
constituents than the first spring wheat grown. With the devel-
opment of hard spring varieties, new milling processes were
found necessary, the development of which was to place the
miller among the world's manufacturers.
OLD MILLING PROCESSES.
The history of wheat would be far from complete without a
study of milling processes, for the story of wheat must ever be
intimately connected with the history of the production of flour.
Here again we find wonderful progress from the rude processes
of ancient civilizations to the modern roller mills, where can be
seen the greatest mechanical perfection and whose capacity is so
great, that they can produce in a single day enough flour to feed
a small city for an entire year.
It has been suggested that wheat was first eaten raw, for when
driven by the pangs of hunger primitive man plucked the wheat
grain from the stalk, using his teeth as mill-stones, and that it
was this grinding motion which first gave him the idea of invent-
ing some rude instrument which would break up the hard berry
for him. Whether this idea be true or not, we find that various
forms of apparatus were early invented to make the grinding
process easier and more effective. All primitive nations reduced
grain to a meal by means of a hand-stone.
Hand-Stones. — The form of these stones was varied, but they
all consisted of two stones, one of which held the grain while the
other was used for pounding. Fig. 10. The first real grinding
came into use when the lower stone was given a concave surface
and the grain being placed within the hollow was rubbed back
and forth by means of a stone-crusher. These primitive mills
were always operated by women and were the only mills used
for some four thousand years. They must have been used by
the aboriginals of all countries, for large numbers of them have
been found showing their use among the prehistoric Swiss lake
FOOD INDUSTRIES 59
dwellers, the Babylonians, the natives of Ninevah, Assyria and
Egypt and again in many parts of the New World. So far as
their structure, detail and finish are concerned, tablets indicate
that saddle-stones made this side of the Atlantic were superior
to those of Europe and Africa. Milling was not a separate indus-
try, but part of the work of each household in which the meal
was first made then baked into cakes or bread. In some parts
of the world this operation is still carried on. In sections of the
northern part of Africa women are the millers, doing their work
in saddle-stones in much the same way as it was done in the
earliest historic times.
Fig. 10. — Hand-stone.
The Mortar and Pestle. — In time the stone-crusher became
elongated into the pestle, and the saddle-stone was fashioned into
the mortar (Fig. n). This marked the step from barbarism into
civilization. In the mortar period the Geeks substituted men
as flour-makers. These men were called pounders and in the
decline of Grecian supremacy, a band of them were led captives
into Rome. As prisoners of war, these craftsmen were set to
work at their occupation, grinding and baking. From this fol-
lowed the custom of using slaves as the millers during the days
of the Roman Empire.
Quern. — To the Romans, the ancient world was indebted for
inventing the first milling machine in which the parts were
mechanically combined. It was a simple grinding machine giving
a circular motion and was known as the quern. It consisted of
6o
FOOD INDUSTRIES
two stones, the upper one conforming to the shape of the lower
upon which it revolved. This upper stone was hollowed out in
the center, making a hole sufficiently large to receive the grain
to be ground and had on the side a handle to facilitate the turn-
ing of the stone. This was the mill in use at the dawn of the
Christian Era and it still can be found in China, Japan, among
the Arabs and in some isolated sections of Europe. It was the
original British flour mill and was destined in that country to be
the cause of a long political strife. In the early days of the use
of the quern, women did the grinding, but gradually this work
was given to slaves and criminals. The first marked improve-
ment was the grooving of the grinding faces of the stones and
in time the enlargement of the mill.
Fig. ii.— The Mortar and Pestle.
As the quern increased in size another motor power was found
necessary. This for a long period in many countries was sup-
plied by cattle, although in parts of northern and western Europe
the water mill early came into use. With the enlargement of
the mill and the introduction of different motor power, milling
passed from the household to the hands of the professional
FOOD INDUSTRIES 6l
miller, who at first did the village grinding, then passed to a
larger district. In some countries wind was used instead of
water and we find crude wind-mills appearing as early as 600
A. D. The earliest mills of the United States were operated by
horse-power, wind and water being later introduced.
Grist Mills. — While the motor power was being changed, devel-
opments appeared in the mill-stones and the grist mill came into
existence. At the end of the eighteenth century this mill, driven
by either wind or water, was doing a thriving business and it is
only a comparatively short time since it had to give away to the
modern roller mill. The structure at first was of few parts and
the operation was simple. The entire wheat went into the flour ;
there was no bolting and no separation into grades. The grain
was at first crudely cleaned by screening, blasts of air being
passed over the wheat to blow away chaff and lighter particles.
The wheat was then passed to the mill-stones to be ground. Two
large stones known as burr-stones were used, the upper one of
which revolved. They were very heavy, sometimes weighing
1,500 pounds, and as a rule were imported from France. The
stones were made up of pieces bound together with bands of
iron. The inner surface was cut much like a grater and, as it
wore smooth, the miller would again cut its surface with a steel
pointed hammer called a mill-pick (Fig. 12). When the two
stones touched in revolving, it was spoken of as "low milling."
The grain was fed from above and the grinding motion con-
tinued until the kernel was ground to a powder. The outer
husks were torn into shreds and the germ, being plastic, rolled
over and over until it assumed a cylindrical form. The main
object of low milling was to make the largest possible amount
of flour from the grain at the first grinding. The only separation
made was that of the fibrous part which being lighter could be
removed by a process of winnowing. As some of the bran was
pulverized it was impossible to separate it from the flour. This
gave the flour a dark color and impaired its keeping qualities.
The germ also being rich in fat in time became rancid.
During the nineteenth century marked improvements took place
62
FOOD INDUSTRIES
in milling owing to the invention of many mechanical devices.
Screens and bolters came into use which led to a practice of sift-
ing and regrinding. The elevator, the conveyor, and the hopper-
bag were invented and finally the middling purifier.
Fig. 12. — Roughening Burr-Stones. (Courtesy of the Washburn-Crosby Co.)
With the invention of the middling purifier, "high milling"
or the gradual reduction process came into use. Here the stones
were placed farther apart and the wheat was granulated rather
than ground, sifted and reground. This gradual reduction being
FOOD INDUSTRIES 63
found advantageous, more stages were introduced until a flour
vastly superior in quality was being placed upon the market.
When hard spring wheat, however, appeared other improve-
ments were necessary. When our people visited Hungary, they
were surprised to find what progress had been made along
mechanical lines. There the grain was being crushed by means
of rollers made of porcelain. Americans were very quick to see
the advantage of this process and a roller-mill outfit was brought
from Hungary to Minneapolis. Many changes in machinery
were necessary to meet new conditions, but from 1881 the roller-
mill rapidly increased and before the dawn of the twentieth cen-
tury the long honored grist mill had practically disappeared. The
substitution of rolls for mill-stones was the most radical advance
ever made in the history of milling. It made possible the opera-
tion of large flour mills which rank among our great commercial
industries.
Disadvanages of Old Processes. — T. They were very slow. In
the' grist mill the stones were very heavy and could not be driven
rapidly.
II. The flour could not be ground as fine. If the stones were
placed too close together, there was danger of the stone itself
wearing away and becoming mixed with the flour.
III. Friction caused heat which would affect enzyme action.
Starch would be changed to a more soluble form and thus mak£
the flour more liable to be attacked by molds and bacteria.
IV. The keeping quality was very poor. Farmers in olden
times were in the habit of carrying grain to the mill in sacks and
carrying home flour. It was said that the farmer was poor or
that he could not conveniently carry more, but these were not
the true reasons. He had learned by bitter experience that the
flour would not keep. It was long before the cause for this was
known. Old-fashioned flour contained the germ within which' is
most of the oil of the wheat kernel. Oil becoming rancid soon
spoiled and ruined the flour. In modern milling processes the
germ is removed.
6 4
FOOD INDUSTRIES
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227 grams of entire wheat flour; c, 301.5 grams of bread from 227 grams of standard
patent flour.
a, Feces from Graham bread; b, feces from entire wheat bread; c, feces from standard
patent bread.
Fig. 18. — Bread Made from Entire-wheat, Patent, and Giaham Flours, and Character of
Feces from Same. (Courtesy of the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture.)
FOOD INDUSTRIES JJ
lievecl by many scientists to be all the protein that is available
as food (Fig. 18). Undoubtedly the claims made by manufac-
turers as to the value of the whole wheat flour have been greatly
over-estimated, although its use occasionally gives a pleasant
change in the diet.
Gluten Flour. — Gluten flour is a substitute for patent flour,
much used by people having diabetes or such diseases that the
'use of starch is undesirable in the diet. It is prepared from an
ordinary good grade flour. Flour is mixed with water and
allowed to stand. In time the starch washes out and if allowed
to settle, a separation can be made. By repeated washings the
starch content is reduced to 50 per cent. The product is then
dried and ground to a powder. This process requires time and
is troublesome and the manufacturer should be paid for his labor.
The sale price for such flour should be approximately 22 cents
per pound. A cheaper product is sometimes found on the market
selling for 7 cents per pound. Manufacturers could not afford
to put flour through this process and sell it at so low a figure;
cheap gluten flour is simply a low grade flour containing bran.
Cereal Department. — Many of the large mills have a cereal
department where the so-called breakfast foods are manufactured
by processes quite similar to those of the milling of flour. For
further information see Chapter VI, Breakfast Foods.
Semolina. — The preparation from wheat of a coarse meal
known as "Semolina" is now largely carried by the miller. Sem-
olina is used in the preparation of macaroni. See page no.
RYE.
Rye is a species of grain resembling wheat. During the
Middle Ages it furnished much of the bread material for the
great body of people in Europe, and is still 'extensively used in
Russia and Germany by the peasantry, although it is gradually
being superceded by wheat. Its cultivation is evidently not
nearly as old as the other cereals, for there is no mention of it
in ancient languages. It was known, however, to the Romans
in Pliny's time.
Rye is a very hardy plant and will grow in a soil too poor fo'r
yS FOOD INDUSTRIES
the majority of other food grains and too cold for the produc-
tion of wheat. It thrives best and gives the largest yield under
conditions favorable to wheat. The varieties grown are not
nearly as great as the other cereals ; the principal types are
known as winter and spring rye.
Composition. — The starch content is much like that of wheat,
a difference being detected only in the microscopic appearance
of the granules. The nitrogenous constituents also resemble
wheat as far as gliadin is concerned. There is no protein, exactly
corresponding to glutenin; therefore, the gluten formed is not
altogether similar to that prepared from wheat flour. It more
closely resembles wheat gluten, however, than any other cereal
and can be successfully used with or without a leavening agent
for the making of bread.
Uses. — Rye ranks second as a world's bread material. Rye
bread is highly nutritious, but is less pleasing to the eye than
wheat bread. It is dark in color, moist and compact in texture
and has a peculiar sour taste. An extreme example is the black
bread or pumpernickle of North Germany. A partial rye bread
is often made by mixing the flour with wheat flour. This gives a
greater yield of gluten and makes a larger and more palatable
loaf of bread. Rye flour is used largely in the United States,
but chiefly by the foreign born population.
Rye is excellent for the production of malt used in the dis-
tillation of spirits, and is much used in Europe for the making
of gin and in this country for the manufacture of whiskey.
The bran can be used as a cattle food and the straw for hats
and in the manufacture of paper.
Adulteration. — The adulteration of rye flour has been very
frequent, flour of other cereals being added. Such admixture
may be detected with the use of the microscope. The rye granule
as a rule is larger than wheat and frequently has characteristic
markings as a cross, slit or star.
CHAPTER VI.
BREAKFAST FOODS AND COFFEE SUBSTITUTES.
A canvass of our markets would reveal to-day an endless
variety of cereals listed under the name of breakfast foods. In
the early days of America, the only cereals utilized to any extent
were wheat as wheat flour and corn as samp, hominy, cornmeal
and hulled corn. In New England the custom prevailed of using
popcorn as a breakfast food. Bread crumbs were also fre-
quently toasted and used for that purpose. Oatmeal was later
introduced by the Irish and Scotch immigration and finally bar-
ley, rye and rice, but their use has always been more or less lim-
ited to the foreign born population.
It was not until the latter part of the 19th century that a new
interest was awakened in this class of foods. Much experi-
menting was done on the cereals, new methods of manufacture
were developed and many new products were placed on the mar-
ket listed under the name of "The Cereal Breakfast Foods."
Probably no class of foods has ever been so extensively and in-
geniously advertised. In a comparatively short time a bewild-
ering variety could be purchased in the local markets ; many ap-
peared to remain indefinitely, but a far larger number soon could
be found only in forgotten places. This constant and ever in-
creasing variety of breakfast foods is giving to the cereals an
important place in the dietary which was not known in the past
history of our country.
Classification. — Although the list of these foods is so long and
varied, they fall very readily into four classes.
/Whole grain.
Uncooked <^
^Part of grain.
Partly cooked.
Cooked.
Malted.
The grains commonly used in this country are oats, wheat,
corn and to some extent barley and rice. In the majority of
8o FOOD INDUSTRIES
breakfast foods, only one variety of grain appears, at other times
two or more are mixed. Breakfast foods are prepared directly
from these cereals, either by mechanical manipulation, culinary
processes or malting. Many times such changes are brought
.about in order to make the product ready either for immediate
consumption or for serving after a moderate amount of cook-
ing. These changes in composition usually consist in the more
or less complete rupturing of the starch granule and sometimes
bringing about its conversion into more soluble forms. Other
substances of the nature of condiments are often added as maple
sugar, cane sugar and salt. Particular methods of preparation
are usually trade secrets.
Uncooked. — The whole grain variety is best represented by
oatmeal. This is practically the old-fashioned cereal with mod-
ern methods of preparation. Ingenious devices have been in-
vented for the removal of foreign seeds, dirt and other sub-
stances of an undesirable nature. The roller process is now used
instead of the old idea of crushing but the rolls are supposed only
to take off the outer husks. These are removed now quite thor-
oughly so the amount of cellulose left is much smaller than for-
merly. Sometimes there is a gradual reduction of the kernel so
oatmeal may be in the granulated form. This is more common
in Canada than in the United States.
Varieties consisting of parts of grain may be found in farina
and cream of wheat. They are prepared from the hard, granu-
lated particles of wheat usually taken from the first or second
breaks in the manufacture of flour. It is the part of wheat from
which patent flour is made. This class of breakfast foods is
usually made from hard spring wheat as soft winter wheat is apt
to break down too finely.
The uncooked cereals are sold at a lower price as there has
been less manipulation by the manufacturer. They require, how-
ever, a longer cooking in the home.
Partly Cooked. — By far the largest number of the break-
fast foods of to-day belong to this class ; 90 per cent, of the oat-
meal consumed in the United States is in this form, on account
FOOD INDUSTRIES ' 8l
of its easy preparation in the home. The first of these cereals
to be introduced was the rolled oats. The preliminary treat-
ment of cleaning, kiln-drying and hulling is practically the same
as with the uncooked varieties. The "groats" then pass through
a process of steaming and while still moist go to heated rolls
which flatten them into flakes. Additional cleaning processes
are sometimes used to loosen and remove the fine particles of
floury matter before the flakes are put into packages. Almost
all of the grains are now being flaked, while peas and beans are
also found in the Canadian market.
Originally this process of steaming was thought to cook the
grain so thoroughly that only a few minutes were necessary in
the home. It is now known that the heat has not been applied
long enough and such cereals need to be thoroughly cooked
before serving. Less water is needed as much has been absorbed
in the steaming process. On account of the flattened condition
of the grain exposing more surface it is not necessary to give as
long a time as in uncooked cereals. More time, however, should
be allowed than is stated on the package.
Cooked. — The ready to serve varieties are numerous and are
prepared in various ways. The most common forms are :
i. The flaked cereals closely resembling the rolled variety, but
heat has been continued for a longer time. They sometimes con-
sist of one cereal as flaked rice or they may be combinations of
grain as wheat and barley. Other substances, such as syrup and
salt, are frequently added and some flaked varieties have passed
through an additional process of parching or toasting, thus giv-
ing them a darker color and producing a flavor which is relished
by most people. Several of these flaked varieties as Cranose
Flakes and Force were patented at Battle Creek, Michigan, the
center for the development of breakfast foods, and were among
the earliest of the ready-to-eat foods.
2. The puffed variety, such as Puffed Corn, is made by placing
the grain in sealed cylinders which are kept revolving at a tem-
perature of approximately 550 F. for an hour. The moisture
within the grain turns to steam, which on being released suddenly
82 FOOD INDUSTRIES
from the cylinders causes an explosion of the starch granule and a
puffing up of the cereal. This idea was undoubtedly taken from
the old-fashioned custom of popping corn. A special variety of
corn is cultivated with a hull strong enough to resist internal
steam pressure. During the period of heating the starch is
thoroughly cooked ; eventually the hull bursts and releases the
cooked starch.
3. There is but one example of the shredded variety, but so
popular is it among Americans that it stands in a class by itself.
"Shredded Wheat Biscuit" as it is called, was the first breakfast
food to appear on the market made from wheat. Its manufac-
ture dates from 1895. The whole wheat kernel appears in the
product and special machinery is needed for its preparation.
After a thorough cleaning the cereal passes through some
twenty to twenty-five different processes, the most important of
which are the following: 1st, the whole wheat is steam-cooked
for about thirty-five minutes without being flavored then dried
to remove excessive moisture; 2nd, by special machinery the
grains are drawn into shreds which are piled in layers, cut into
miniature loaves and baked.
4. Variety resembling crumbs, as Grape-Nuts. This break-
fast food is prepared from wheat and barley ground together,
made into a flour, kneaded into bread dough and baked. The
bread is then sliced, toasted and crushed. Grape-Nuts has had a
very large sale in the United States, Canada and England for a
number of years and is now gradually being introduced in the
commercial centers of foreign lands.
Malted Preparations. — The cereal grains are all rich in starch
and on account of the hard impervious nature of the walls
of the starch granules such food is not easy of digestion in the
raw state. A long slow cooking is necessary not only to rupture
the granule, but to make the starch more soluble. The digestive
fluids under ordinary conditions can then readily take care of
the product. To further aid digestion it was suggested sev-
eral years ago that the cereal starch be subjected to the action of
malt. Malt contains an enzyme called diastase which has the
FOOD INDUSTRIES 83
power of rapidly liquifying starch after the cell walls have been
ruptured and then converting it into dextrin and maltose. Mal-
tose is soluble and several steps nearer the completion of the di-
gestive process. The amount of starch which has been changed
to dextrin and maltose depends upon the thoroughness with
which the malting process has been conducted. Manufacturers
of these products claim that the process has been thorough and
these cereals are highly recommended for people with weak di-
gestion. It is a question whether this claim is always true or
whether malt has simply been added to give flavor after the
cereal has been cooked with dry heat. Heat would readily change
starch to dextrin without the aid of diastase and is a much
quicker process than that of malting. For information as to the
malting process see Chapter XI, Alcoholic Beverages. Such a
cereal has a pleasant taste relished by many people and adds va-
riety to the diet, but it is not completely predigested.
Experiments along this line have been carried out at the Iowa
Experiment Station on a number of malted breakfast foods. It
is difficult, however, to decide whether the malting process has
actually been carried out or whether malt has been added, but
there are strong evidences to make scientific men feel that in
many cases the cereal has been cooked by dry heat. The term
malted is often used when malt has simply been added, as malted
milk. Milk cannot be malted in the sense of adding diastase to
it ; it can only be reduced to the powdered form then mixed with
ground barley malt. Much has been said of the advantage of
using predigested foods in order to relieve the digestive tract
of part of its normal work. It is a question, however, as to the
wisdom of taking habitually artifically digested foods. The
human body under normal conditions is well fitted to perform
this work for itself and the digestive organs need a certain
amount of exercise to keep them in proper condition. It has often
been quoted "A well man has no more need of predigested food
than a sound man has of crutches." These cereals, therefore,
should be taken more for their pleasant taste and to give variety
than for their so called predigested value.
.84 ' FOOD INDUSTRIES
Adulteration. — While in advertising much has been said greatly
over-estimating the virtues of the breakfast foods, the experi-
ment stations and pure food examiners have discovered very-
little adulteration. Manufacturers as a rule use good whole-
some material, processes are modern and conditions at the fac-
tories most sanitary. Goods are protected while in the dealers'
hands and are so packed that they can easily be taken care of by
the householder.
Comparisons of Old and New Cereals. — The old-fashioned cereals
were much more economical. Manufacturers did not charge for
extra manipulation. They were bought when dry, so consumer
was not paying for water which had been added during manu-
facturing processes, and as they appeared on the market in bulk
the box was not included in the weight.
Uncooked cereals which have been thoroughly cooked in the
home digest just as easily as predigested kinds and are equally
nutritious. In these respects they are superior to some varie-
ties of partly cooked. There is no reason to believe that a pre-
pared food is more favorable to health than cereal itself prop-
erly cooked.
On the other hand, much can be said in favor of the use of
prepared breakfast foods for they are usually palatable, whole-
some and nutritious. They save much time, labor and fuel in
the home and are well suited for the use of the housekeeper, who
must depend upon the use of the kerosene, gas or electric stove.
From a sanitary standpoint there has been a great improvement;
being sold in cardboard boxes well lined with air-tight paper,
they are protected from air, moisture, dust and micro-organism.
Unless carefully packed a cereal will not keep well. Moist cli-
mates make it liable to be attacked by mold growth and it is apt
to become infested with insects. The chief point against the
modern cereal is the excess cost. The cost of cereal per pound
is 2 to 3 cents; cost of prepared cereals 10 to 15 cents. The
cereals, nevertheless, pound for pound, are the cheapest com-
plete food that can be found on the market and they form a legit-
imate and valuable food.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 85
COFFEE SUBSTITUTES.
For several years past another cereal product has been found
on the market known under the name of coffee substitutes.
They are in many cases put up by the same manufacturers as
the breakfast foods and like them seem to be gradually increas-
ing in number. They are as a rule made of parched grains of
wheat and barley sometimes mixed with wheat middlings, pea-
hulls and molasses. Some of the first products also contained a
low grade coffee added to give flavor. Experiments made at the
'Connecticut Experiment Station, however, show that the present
day coffee substitutes are as a rule made from the cereal grain
as claimed by the manufacturers and that there is now very little
adulteration of any kind.
It is claimed that they are harmless, unstimulating, have a
flavor resembling coffee and yield much greater nourishment at
lower cost. The color and flavor resembling coffee are largely
due to the fact that the carbohydrates present are caramelized;
this also occurs in the roasting of coffee. See Chapter XXI, Tea,
Coffee and Cocoa. Few coffee lovers will agree that the flavor
strongly resembles coffee as the coffee bean also contains certain
volatile bodies which give that beverage the much desired aroma
and taste. Substitute coffee where coffee has not been added
is perfectly harmless, unstimulating, and furnishes a beverage
for those who cannot take coffee. There is little truth, however,
in the extravagant claims made in advertising matter as to the
nutritive value of the beverage. This value is hardly worth con-
sidering, since experiments have shown that skim milk is from
three to twenty times as nutritious.
CHAPTER VII.
UTILIZATION OF FLOUR. BREADMAKING.
By far the oldest and most important product made from flour
is bread. The art of breadmaking dates back to the remotest
ages of mankind and so important is this world's food-stuff that
it is known almost universally as "The staff of life." With the
possible exception of milk and eggs, there is no article of the
diet that is more generally used by human beings and that is so
well able to sustain life. It is to its constant use that we owe
the wonderful development along the lines of the cultivation of
wheat and the equally marked progress found in its milling oper-
ations.
In a broad sense bread includes all forms of baked flour,
whether leavened or unleavened, but our common use of the
word refers only to those forms in which leavening agents are
used, other products being spoken of as pilot bread, crackers,
passover bread and biscuit. Originally all bread was eaten with-
out leaven for the savage after crushing or grinding his meal,
baked it in the ashes of his camp fire. The result was a bread
of hard, tough material not easy for the digestive fluids to act
upon. This evidently was only the custom among the most
primitive people, for the use of leaven is very ancient. The
Israelites while in Egypt used leavened bread, the Greeks were
known to have cultivated the yeast plant and in the ruins of
Pompeii an oven was found containing 81 loaves of bread not
unlike our own. With the use of leaven, a type of bread was
produced, more easily masticated, better in flavor and more
easily digested.
Primitive Breadmaking. — Crude methods of breadmaking can
be studied not only in the earliest historic records but among
some of the more primitive nations of to-day. Evidently bread
was used in the stone age for burnt specimens have been re-
covered among the Swiss Lake Dwellers ; the pyramids of Egypt
bear testimony to its early use and again we find evidences of
bread in the mound tombs of North Africa and Asia. The method
FOOD INDUSTRIES 87
of preparation was undoubtedly very simple, probably much like
that used by some of the wild tribes that inhabit parts of Africa
at the present time. It is their custom to grind grain between
two stones, make it into a paste with water, then bake in the
ashes of a camp fire.
In different parts of the world similar products can be found.
Natives of -some of the West Indies prepare a thin round cake
of meal which is obtained from the cassava root; the product is
known as cassava bread and furnishes the principal food among
the common people. In Mexico and Central America, a bread
known as "tortillas" is prepared by the natives from Indian corn
by first parboiling the grain to soften it, then crushing by means of
a stone rolling pin. The paste is baked on a plate of iron. The
"tortillas" is sold at many of the market places by native women
and as it is more highly relished when served hot, it is usually
baked on a small portable charcoal stove at the market. Among
the well-to-do classes of India, a round, flat cake of unleavened
bread called "chapatties" is prepared from wheat flour and
baked on a griddle or on coals. A similar product is made
by the poorer classes from cornmeal, millet, barley or a coarse,
hard grain known as ragi. In Palestine and Syria women are
still the millers and bakers, grinding the meal in small stone
hand-mills after the same custom that was used long before the
beginning of the Christian era. The coarse meal obtained is
made into flat cakes and baked on a hearth, which consists of
two stones raised on end over which an iron plate is laid to hold
the bread. Bread made in other parts of the Orient as in Egypt
and Turkey has quite a different appearance. Here the material
is rolled or pounded into a flat dough similar to our pie crust;
two layers are then put together united at the edges and baked
in a very hot oven. The expansion of the air between these
layers puffs up the dough and gives the appearance of a large
loaf. A flat bread of coarse barley meal is also made in the
northern part of Europe, particularly among the Norwegian
peasants.
The progress from these primitive breads to the modern white
loaf used by the civilized world has needed as much study and
88 FOOD INDUSTRIES
experimentation as the development of all other industries.
Probably the most marked change was the use of leaven and
it is generally supposed that the world owes this important
step to the Egyptians. They seemed to have carried the art
of breadmaking to a high state of perfection, as did also the
early Greeks, who are known to have had at least 62 varieties
of bread. From the days of these ancient civilizations mechan-
ically there seemed to be little progress for centuries, and it has
been left to the modern scientist to develop the art of bread-
making.
Leavened Bread. — So far as the ingredients are concerned, the
present day bread might be considered a very simple food, for
there are only four materials needed in this operation — flour,
water, yeast and salt. Other materials, such as butter, lard, sugar,
milk, fruit or spices might be added to give flavor and variety,
but they are not essential to breadmaking. Although the in-
gredients are so simple, scientists tell us that the chemical changes
taking place in the preparation of the loaf are very profound.
In order to understand at least a small part of these changes it
is necessary to consider the raw material to be used.
Flour. — At the present time our first-class bakers are using a
standard flour for breadmaking. It is high in the gluten form-
ing proteins so will absorb more water and gives a larger, lighter
and better flavored loaf. For milling processes see Chapter V.
Water. — It should be free from dirt or contamination of any
kind. See Chapter II, Water. Until recently it was supposed
that hardness or softness did not materially affect water to be
used for breadmaking. According to the research work of Dr.
Kohman (see page 92) it is now believed that salts of lime stimu-
late the growth of yeast. In the household many prefer to use
milk in part or altogether as the liquid. It makes an equally
light loaf, contains a larger amount of protein and fat, is equally
digestible, but the dough is slightly longer in rising.
Salt. — Salt is used in breadmaking for the flavor it imparts, for
without it the dough would be insipid and as a soluble mineral
food for the yeast. The amount varies according to the type bread
and in different localities even with the same variety. It should
FOOD INDUSTRIES 89
never be used, however, in such quantities as to be readily tasted
or the delicate aroma and flavor of the bread will be destroyed.
It is believed that salt added in small quantity stimulates the
capacity of the palate for recognizing flavors of other substances.
This accounts for the importance of salt as a flavoring agent.
Another reason has been given for the use of salt, but it is
not now believed to be important. It has the power of control-
ling some of the chemical changes which take place during fer-
mentation, so was considered a preservative. In relatively large
amounts it checks alcoholic and ropy fermentation, but it does not
inhibit the lactic acid and many other bacteria so its influence
as a preserving agent is very limited and can hardly be important
enough to be considered.
. Yeast. — Yeast was the first leavening agent in the world's his-
tory and is still by far the most important. How it first came
to be used is not told us, but the knowledge that wild yeast is
always present in the atmosphere leaves but little to the imagina-
tion. Its use might easily have been discovered by accidentally
exposing dough to the atmosphere and afterwards finding out that
it made a lighter loaf. From this simple custom of exposing
dough to the air we might readily trace the practice of saving a
small amount of raised dough from day to day to act as a leaven-
ing agent for the next baking. Gradually the art of cultivating
yeast became the practice among the civilized nations.
Although yeast has been used as a leavening agent for many
centuries very little was really known about it until the time of
Pasteur. . It is now believed that yeast, molds and bacteria be-
long to a class of substances known as ferments. Until quite
recently these ferments were divided into two classes: ist, en-
zymes, such as diastase and ptyalin called unorganized ferments ;
2nd, yeast, molds and bacteria, known as organized ferments.
Recent research has revealed that micro-organisms cannot do
their work as ferments, without the presence of enzymes within
their cell-walls so that classification no longer can be used. Yeast,
molds and bacteria are now known to be living organisms. They
are microscopic forms of plant life, which in their desire for
food can act upon substances, bringing about many profound
90 FOOD INDUSTRIES
changes. Although the nature of these changes may not be
known to the average house-wife, with the effects of many she
is quite familiar. Milk after standing for a time, particularly
in a warm place changes in its nature; it develops acid qualities
and is spoken of as being sour. Butter under certain conditions
becomes rancid. Cider when fresh has a decidedly sweet taste
which in time gradually disappears and is replaced by an unmis-
takable flavor of alcohol. It is quite common to speak of this
product as hard cider and every house-keeper knows that should
hard cider be kept long enough it will turn to vinegar. These
changes and many others modern scientists have traced to the
fermentative actions of micro-organisms.
In the fermentation brought about by the yeast plant two very
important products are found, alcohol and carbon dioxide, which
are used throughout the world whether the races are civilized or
still in a semi-barbarous condition. Alcohol is particularly de-
sired by all industries preparing stimulating beverages and car-
bon dioxide is needed for the lightening of bread. It is to the
manufacturer of alcoholic beverages that we owe the scientific
study that has been given to the yeast plant.
When viewed through a microscope yeast is found to consist
of a single round or oval cell. It is perfectly colorless — belonging
to a class of plants without chlorophyll — the fungi. Each cell is
an individual plant consisting of an. outer wall of cellulose filled
with protoplasm. In this condition yeast is usually spoken of as
in the resting state.
Being a living organism yeast is capable of reproducing itself
should conditions be favorable. The normal reproduction is
through a process of budding. If a little of this resting yeast is
put under conditions favorable for growth, a daughter cell or
bud is formed within the cell. The bud pushing its way through
the wall rapidly develops, separates from the parent cell, and in
its turn is able to become a parent cell. When growth is very
rapid the cells sometimes fail to separate, and adhering, form a
chain of cells which can easily be seen under the microscope.
Pasteur states that on one occasion he watched two cells for two
hours; during that time they multiplied into eight.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 9 1
Under favorable conditions some yeasts are reproduced by
the formation of spores. These spores can resist many adverse
circumstances, such as a lack of moisture, insufficient food and
marked changes in temperature. It is to their hardy nature that
we owe the constant presence of yeast in the atmosphere. In
this state it has been discovered yeast can live on the earth for
some little time, until wind carrying them into the air, gives an
opportunity for settling amid favorable surroundings and again
growth and reproduction take place. The favorite home for the
yeast plant is on the skin of grapes and other fruit, a fact well
appreciated by those engaged in the wine industry.
The rapidity of the growth is much influenced by surrounding
the yeast with favorable conditions of temperature, suitable food,
oxygen and moisture.
The temperature found to be most favorable is JJ° -95 ° F.
Below yj° F. the growth is slower and a little above 32 F. it is
practically arrested. The vitality of the cell is not destroyed *by
a low temperature for even after exposure to 32 ° F. yeast "will
grow if the conditions are once more favorable. Above 95 ° F.
yeast will become gradually weakened by heat until it is finally
killed at a temperature of 140 F. if the yeast is moist.- Dry yeast
can stand a much higher temperature, 200 F., without destroying
life. Although yeast grows most rapidly between 77°-95° F.
it is sometimes advisable to keep the temperature lower to pre-
vent the action of undesirable micro-organisms. Brewers in the
United States and on the continent are now using a lower tem-
perature although bakers seldom, if ever, take advantage of this
fact.
Food for yeast growth must contain carbohydrate, nitrogenous
compounds and appropriate inorganic matter. The last two
food principles are necessary for the healthy development of
yeast for they constitute as in human life, the building material
of the cells.
Pasteur discovered that unless these substances are given to
yeast they act like cannibals, the stronger cells existing on the
weaker. From our standpoint the carbohydrate is the most im-
92 FOOD INDUSTRIES
portant food for the yeast as it is to these compounds that we
look for the production of alcohol and carbon-dioxide. All
forms of carbohydrate cannot be utilized by yeast but should the
compound not be available as food, yeast carries its own enzyme,
much as we do, which can convert it into a form which can be
utilized. There are two important enzymes in yeast — invertase
and zymase. The function of invertase is to convert maltose into
glucose or sucrose into glucose and fructose by the process of
hydrolysis :
CuH^Ou + H 2 — 2C 6 H 12 6 .
Glucose being an available food for yeast it 'is attacked by
zymase which breaks down the sugar into alcohol, carbon dioxide
and a number of other substances in small quantities, such as
fusel oils, succinic acid and glycerin.
C 6 H 12 6 — 2C 2 H 5 OH + 2C0 2 .
According to the research work of Dr. Kohman* carried on at
tli2 University of Pittsburgh, the effect of adding soluble salts
of lime and ammonia to the dough results in the increased growth
and stimulation of the yeast organism to a remarkable degree.
The Arkady yeast food containing these salts has recently come
into use. It is claimed that the use of this food has the follow-
ing advantages: ist, it stimulates the gas production of the yeast
so that half the quantity of the yeast regularly used will suffice
for leavening the dough; 2nd, it helps to conserve the gluten of
the flour thereby giving the dough greater stability; 3rd, less
carbohydrate is consumed by the yeast because of the smaller
quantity of yeast used ; 4th, the flavor is improved due to the con-
servation of the natural substances, such as gluten and sugar in
the flour, and to the fact that because of the lesser quantities of
yeast used fewer objectionable by-products are produced; 5th,
the bread made by the process has less acidity.
The opinion that the addition of lime is harmful or in any
sense an adulteration is not in accordance with the results of the
research work of Emmerich and Loew.f These authorities defi-
* The effects of the mineral salts contained in natural water upon the fermentation of
bread, By Henry A. Kohman, Ph. D.
t Calcium Bread and Its Virtues, By Emmerich and I,oew.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 93
nitely state that this is the most feasible method of maintaining
the lime balance in the diet. It is now the custom of the best
German bakers to combine with the dough previous to baking
definite quantities of soluble lime salts in the form of chlorides.
Micro-organisms also need oxygen, some taking it in the form
of atmospheric oxygen 2 and others from their food. Yeast
needs atmospheric oxygen. Pasteur discovered that an abund-
ance of air caused the plant to develop rapidly, but the evolu-
tion of alcohol and carbon dioxide was very slow, while in a
limited amount of oxygen fermentation proceeded rapidly and
the cell growth was arrested. This idea has been of great bene-
fit to brewers and to scientific bread bakers who now know when
to regulate the supply of oxygen.
In fact one of the largest and best known breadmaking
concerns in the United States make their bread under a process
patent, based on the idea of mixing dough in such a manner
as to inject into the dough an unusual amount of atmospheric
oxygen.
Leavening Effect of Yeast. — With these facts in mind the
leavening effect of yeast can easily be seen. A mixture of flour
and water readily supplies the moisture and food, flour con-
taining all the necessary compounds — carbohydrate, protein and
mineral matter. If this material be kept exposed to the atmos-
phere and at a suitable temperature, yeast will multiply very rap-
idly and will spread throughout the dough. As a result of its
action much carbon dioxide is developed, which in forcing its
way through the dough becomes entangled in the gluten. The
latter being elastic stretches, thus giving porosity and lightness
to the mass.
Yeast Preparations — Breadmaking. — The oldest method of pre-
paring yeast was very probably that used by the ancient Egypt-
ians, who succeeded in obtaining wild yeast and growing it in
dough. A portion of this dough or "leaven" was always saved
for the next baking and as it contained yeast cells, again yeast
could be grown when needed. This simpje custom has been used
more or less from those early days to modern times and in some
parts of the world it is still practiced. The home brew used by
94 FOOD INDUSTRIES
our ancestors and which can still be found in isolated districts is
a preparation of this kind. The leaven saved from the last baking
is mixed with suitable material for the rapid growth of yeast.
A decoction of hops, potatoes and water was used and when
the yeast had developed part of this material was added to the
dough. A similar practice can be found in Scotland at the
present time. The "barm" as it is called is prepared by allow-
ing yeast to grow in malt extract and flour before adding it to the
bread dough. In some parts of the continent particularly in
France and Switzerland, this ancient method is still used by
bakers and poor country people. The bread has a sour taste,
which is relished by many, due to the development of lactic and
butyric acid bacteria. Some authorities consider bread made
in this way more healthful as the acids developed are supposed
to assist in digestion. The taste, however, is disagreeable to the
majority of people and the best authorities of our country con-
sider that a high grade commercial yeast is more reliable and
much more convenient.
Brewer's Yeast. — One of the earliest commercial yeasts was
obtained from brewers. During the fermentation of beer, es-
pecially where a high temperature is used, much of the yeast is
carried to the top of the vats by the escaping carbon dioxide.
It is called by the brewer top yeast. This yeast was skimmed
from the top of beer and was sold in the liquid form. Little
care was given to sanitary conditions and the product was thor-
oughly unreliable. It was dark in color and carried with it the
flavor and aroma of the hops. Bread made from it was some-
what smaller in volume, due to slow fermentation, dark in color
and had a faintly bitter flavor. It has now almost entirely been
superseded by distiller's yeast, which at the present time is sold
in the form of the compressed yeast cake.
Compressed Yeast Cake. — Distiller's yeast is lighter in color
and possesses a rather pleasant taste. At the time that fer-
mentation is most energetic the yeast is skimmed off the surface
and is conveyed by wooden drains to sieves. All foreign matter
is removed and the strained liquid passes on to the settling cis-
terns. Here the yeast settles and the liquid is drawn off. The
FOOD INDUSTRIES 95
yeast is generally mixed with starch and put into presses which
squeeze out much of the moisture, leaving a dough-like paste.
Starch is said to be added because it permits more water be-
ing removed, which greatly aids the keeping quality. In recent
years, however, the foremost yeast manufacturers of our country
have discovered that by strict laboratory control and the develop-
ment of pure culture, compressed yeast of great strength and uni-
form quality and flavor can be successfully and commercially
made without the addition of starch. The latter, in fact, is now
looked upon as an adulterant. Yeast is then partly dried, made
into cakes, and carefully wrapped in metal or waxed paper to
protect it from bacteria. This is the best all-around yeast that is
used at the present time. It is more expensive, but will work
evenly and quickly, and will give a finished loaf of bread with a
good volume and texture and having an agreeable taste, odor and
color. A good quality should be slightly moist, possess a creamy
white color and break with a fine fracture.
Dried Yeast. — There is one great disadvantage to compressed
yeast; even under favorable conditions it will only keep fresh
for a comparatively short time. The yeast begins to die and other
forms of micro-organisms soon develop, giving rise to unde-
sirable flavors in bread. For people who live in isolated dis-
tricts, another type of compressed yeast called dried yeast is put
on the market. More starch has been added and more water
removed. Although a low temperature is used to dry the yeast
some of the cells are undoubtedly killed, so it is not as satisfac-
tory a form to use as fresh yeast. On account of the dryness,
however, decomposition cannot set in and some of the yeast and
spores will remain alive for a considerable length of time, and
when mixed with water and a soluble carbohydrate will slowly
begin to grow.
Salt Rising. — This old and crude method of leavening, for-
merly imputed to wild yeasts, has been definitely determined to
be due to the growth and development of certain gas forming
types of lactic acid bacteria. Unlike the yeast these forms de-
velop a mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide, at the same time
producing lactic acid which accounts for the difference in flavor
96 FOOD INDUSTRIES
so highly regarded by some people. This form of leaven in the
clry state has now become a commercial product and can be
bought similarly to yeast preparations.
Object in Breadmaking. — Given the necessary ingredients, it is
the baker's object to produce a result which will be pleasing to
the sight, agreeable to the taste, easy of digestion and nutritious.
Steps in Breadmaking. — Fermentation. — The methods of
fermenting dough are somewhat varied but there are only three
in common use: 1st, straight or off-hand dough; 2nd, ferment
and dough; 3rd, sponge and dough. No matter which method
is chosen the best material possible to procure should be used,
the ingredients should be thoroughly mixed and in proper pro-
portions, and the greatest cleanliness should be observed through-
out the entire operation.
Straight or Off-hand Dough. — With this method all of the
ingredients while luke-warm are thoroughly mixed. Care should
be taken that the proper proportions are used ; too little yeast will
give a badly raised dough and too much will cause excessive gas
which stretches the gluten beyond its limit, causes it to break open
and the gas to escape, thus making a heavy, soggy loaf of bread.
The dough is then set aside to rise in a moderately warm tem-
perature (77°-95° F.). It should be kept as free from drafts
as possible and should be left exposed to the atmosphere or
• lightly covered, as the presence of oxygen aids the growth of
yeast. As fermentation proceeds the dough increases in bulk and
becomes light and porous. When sufficiently aerated with gas
it is thoroughly kneaded by hand or machinery. This operation
causes the escape of waste gases, incorporates fresh air, revives
the activity of the yeast, has a toughening effect on the gluten
and assists its elasticity. The dough is shaped into loaves, al-
lowed to ferment again and then baked. Bread made in this
way takes from 3 to 10 hours according to the amount of yeast
and the temperature used. There are several distinct advantages
to this method — all labor of sponging and extra manipulation is
saved and bread is produced in less time. It is far more con-
venient when bread is made at home.
Ferment and Dough. — Among many bakers the first step
FOOD INDUSTRIES 97
is the preparation of the ferment ; that is, the cultivation of the
yeast by giving it appropriate food. Potato mash is still largely
employed for food, also raw and scalded flour, malt extract and
commercial yeast foods. The ferment takes about 5 hours, but
is still used by bakers for two reasons : first, it enables an origin-
ally small amount of yeast to do much work; second, the young
yeast cells are very vigorous. This yeast is then incorporated
with water, flour and salt and a dough is made similar to the
straight-dough method.
The Sponge and Dough Method. — In this process the dough
is made in two stages by allowing the yeast to work for a
period in a portion of the flour and water. Several different
sponges are used — the quarter, the third, the half and the three-
quarter, according to the amount of flour added. Fermentation
proceeds from 2 to 12 hours and the remaining material is incor-
porated. Care should be given to mix the second portion of
flour thoroughly with the sponge or the bread will contain lumps
on which the yeast has had no opportunity to work. The dough
as it is now called is allowed to rise again, is kneaded into loaves
and baked. Although it takes longer and requires more manipu-
lation the sponge method has many advantages : first, on account
of its slackness, it requires much less yeast (this is a considerable
saving where bread is made in large quantities) ; second, hard
wheat flour on account of its absorbing power does not produce
a desirable loaf of bread when made by the off-hand method — a
sponge gives a lighter and more elastic loaf ; third, bread made
with a sponge is usually finer in texture and has a better flavor;
fourth, it keeps better; fifth, some believe that less work is in-
volved in mixing as the sponge softens on standing.
Baking. — The dough should be evenly baked in an oven
ranging from 450 to 550 F. according to the variety of bread.
The heat should not be too great at first or the bread will harden
too quickly. The gas in the interior will not have a chance to
expand the gluten and the result will be a heavy bread. In some
bakeries the temperature is gradually raised during baking. The
effect of this heat is to rapidly expand the gas which in its turn
expands the gluten and swells the loaf. As gluten is protein in
7
98 FOOD INDUSTRIES
nature it very shortly coagulates and thus holds the loaf in shape
after the escape of the gases. The surplus moisture, the alcohol
and acids volatilize. In time the starch granules are ruptured
and become suitable for human food. On the outer portion or
crust on account of the intense heat, most of the starch is dex-
trinized and a small portion is converted into glucose. The inner
part or crumb is not subjected to such a high temperature, since
dough is a poor conductor of heat. The interior is not heated
above the boiling point of water so the changes in the carbohy-
drate grow less as it approaches the center of the loaf. The
yeast, bacteria and enzymes present in the dough are destroyed
during the baking. This sterilizes the bread.
Cooling. — As soon as completely baked, the loaves of bread
should be placed on sieves or bread-racks so that the air can cir-
culate around them until they are thoroughly cool. This gives the
gas and steam within the loaves an opportunity to escape and pre-
vents the bread from becoming damp.
A Modern Bread Factory. — In strong contrast to the old-
fashioned cellar bakery with its dingy and many times unsanitary
surroundings, the modern bread factory has arisen. Here can
be found bread being manufactured on a large scale in a well
ventilated, sun-lighted building equipped with facilities as nearly
perfect as modern science can suggest. An electric plant for
lighting the building and running the machinery, a cold storage
plant and hot water system for regulating temperatures, elevators,
conveyors and slides for carrying material from one part of the
building to another, can be seen. Many curious devices in
machinery have been invented, so that the human hand needs
scarcely touch the product from the time that the raw materials
enter the building until the finished loaf is ready to be carried
out for delivery. Conditions insuring thorough cleanliness are
carefully sought and the bread is made amid thoroughly sanitary
surroundings. Only a high grade flour, good yeast, distilled
water and the best available material for shortening are used.
Before being utilized the flour is passed through a sieve con-
taining rotary brushes and a surprising amount of wood, lint,
dust and other foreign material is removed. When needed,
FOOD INDUSTRIES
99
the sifted flour passes automatically to electric bread mixers, as
does also the required amount of water, dissolved yeast, salt, etc.
As the bread mixer revolves, filtered air is fed to the dough in
order to hasten the action of the yeast and give whiteness to the
product. The mixing operation requires some 25 minutes. The
mixer is then turned over and the dough drops into the raising
Fig. 19. — Flour Sifter and Blender.
(Courtesy of Ward Baking Co.)
trough, where it is allowed to rise in a sunny, white-tiled room
for 3 hours. As soon as the dough is in proper condition, the
bottom of the tub is removed and the dough proceeds by gravity
through an opening in the floor to an apartment below, where it is
automatically carried to a machine which weighs and cuts it into
uniform pieces. It passes on a moving platform in separate
loaves to a number of kneading devices which roll and press it
into shape. The loaf travels forward and backward on a con-
IOO
FOOD INDUSTRIES
veyor, where it is allowed to rest before it drops into a pan ready
for the second rising. The pans are removed to an apartment
heated to no° F., and the bread is allowed to rise. It is then
baked in a traveling oven at a temperature, of 450-550 F. After
being removed from the oven, the bread falls on racks from which
place it proceeds by an incline to the floor below where after
cooling, it is wrapped and sealed in paraffin paper.
Fig. 20. — Mixing Machine with Dough About to be lowered Into Raising Trough
(Courtesy of Ward Baking Co.)
Souring and Its Prevention. — The souring of bread is due to
the development of lactic and butyric acid ferments. This may
be caused by a poor grade of yeast which is apt to contain un-
desirable bacteria, by a poor flour which on account of the
presence of certain nitrogenous bodies gives a medium particu-
larly suitable for bacterial growth, by dirty vessels, by allowing
the sponge to proceed too far thus giving undesirable ferments an
FOOD INDUSTRIES
IOI
opportunity to develop. It may be prevented by using a high
grade flour, a good yeast and by thorough cleanliness. Too. high
a temperature during fermentation and prolonged raising of the
sponge and dough should be avoided. Sudden changes in tem-
perature should be guarded against.
Adulteration of Bread. — Alum has been largely used and evi-
dently for a long period. English history speaks of Henry VIII
Fig. 21.— Machine for Dividing Dough Into Equal Parts of Equal Weight
(Courtesy of Ward Baking Co.)
ordering his baker to be hanged for using alum in bread intended
for the King's table. This subject has been much discussed of
late years and its use has been finally prohibited by the Pure
Food Law. As a rule alum was used with a poor grade flour
or with a flour that had been kept for a long time under unfa-
vorable conditions. When flour deteriorates the protein some-
times changes, becoming more soluble and will not make a good
102
FOOD INDUSTRIES
dough. Alum will cause it once more to become insoluble and a
better gluten will be formed. The loaf is larger, less sodden,
whiter and gives the appearance of a better grade flour.
Losses in Fermentation. — In the preparation of bread by means
of yeast, appreciable losses of dry material must necessarily take
place. This is caused by the formation of volatile matter during
fermentation, such as carbon dioxide, alcohol and acids. They
Fig. 22. — Front View of Dough Divider.
(Courtesy of Ward Baking. Co.
are driven off, to a large extent, at the temperature of baking,
so have no nutritive effect. Estimates of this loss have been
made and as a rule it has been found to be approximately 2 per
cent, although it may be much higher under unfavorable con-
ditions. Tiebig calculated that the loss in Germany daily would
supply 400,000 persons with bread and it has been estimated that
300,000 gallons of alcohol are annually wasted in the bakers'
FOOD INDUSTRIES
IO3
ovens in London. There has been much experimenting and large
sums of money expended in trying to recover this alcohol but
without success from the baker's standpoint ; the bread was
found to be dry and unpalatable. This inevitable waste has led
to attempts to convert dough into a porous form by other methods
than that of fermentation. Many mechanical and chemical proc-
esses of aerating dough with C0 2 have been invented, but in
Fig. 23
-Machine for Wrapping Bread with Paraffin Paper.
(Courtesy of Ward Baking Co.)
England and the United States, only two have met a slight suc-
cess.
Chemical Process. — Use of baking powders. See Chapter
VIII.
Aerated Bread. — In this process cold water is saturated with
C0 2 . This highly charged water is then mixed with flour under
pressure in air"-tight chambers. When the pressure is lowered
io4
FOOD INDUSTRIES
the dough is forced out and blown up by the expanding gas. It
is cut into loaves quickly and baked. This bread is very light,
porous and involves no waste of material but unfortunately it has
an insipid taste due to the absence of the by-products of yeast,
so has never met with great success in the United States al-
though it is still made in Great Britain.
Fig. 24. — Bread After I,eaving Wrapping Machine.
(Courtesy of Ward Baking Company.)
THE CRACKER OR BISCUIT INDUSTRY.
Those products formerly known in the United States as crack-
ers and in England as biscuit originally included only varieties
of unleavened bread, such as the commonly known pilot bread,
ship's biscuits and water crackers, but the march of progress in
the last half century has greatly enlarged the field of this in-
dustry until it now includes many articles formerly considered
cakes, pastry and confectionery.
In both this country and in England the manufacture of bis-
FOOD INDUSTRIES
I05
cuit has been greatly improved and the output tremendously in-
creased, one American firm alone manufacturing some four hun-
dred or more varieties. Great manufacturing concerns have
been attracted by this field of business and have by their
efforts to produce a perfect product brought about improvements
resulting in cleanliness and sanitation in the manufacture of these
products. The dirty and unsanitary cracker bin and barrel of the
A B C
Fig. 25. — Baking Floor for Sponge Goods. (A) Steel Dough Cars. (B) Soda Cracker
Machines. (C) Upper Parts of Reel Ovens. (Courtesy of
National Biscuit Company.)
grocery store, such as were formerly used when crackers and bis-
cuit were sold only in bulk form, the chance for the small dealer
to deceive, the many varieties of cheap scales, and such numerous
handlings as were necessary to deliver the goods to the purchaser
are all things of the past. The public now receives its biscuit
in moisture and dust-proof packages, packed and sold under the
best possible conditions and free from the touch of human hands
on their journey from the factory to the table of the consumer.
io6
FOOD INDUSTRIES
Raw Material. — There is no food industry which uses such an
enormous variety of foodstuffs and from so many parts of the
-Flour Bolter, Blender and A. tomatic Weigher. (Courtesy of National
Biscuit Company.)
Fig. 27. Baking Floor for Sweet Goods showing Sweet Cracker Machine and
Pans being placed in the Oven. (Courtesy of National Biscuit Company.)
world as the biscuit industry. The basic ingredient is a flour;
the ideal flour for most biscuit is one made from rich soft winter
FOOD INDUSTRIES IO7
wheat although for special purposes Graham, whole whsat, corn,
rye and arrowroot flour are used. Oatmeal and other cereal
products enter into the manufacture of special kinds of biscuit.
Eggs are used in many of the sweet varieties of crackers and
cakes, and butter, lard, coconut and other vegetable oils form the
principal shortening. About twenty different kinds of sugars may
be used according to the purpose for which they are intended.
These range in grain from the 4X sugar which is an impalpable
powder up to the crystallized sugar, whose grains may be a quar-
ter of an inch long. Some of the sugar comes from the refineries
while other kinds are brown sugars straight from the plantations
and impart to the biscuit a rich taste of molasses which is so
delicious. High grade molasses itself and honey are also largely
used, while whole milk or filtered water supply the moisture for
the dough.
The above are the basic ingredients used in the manufacture
of biscuit. In addition there is almost an infinite variety of ac-
cessories, such as fruits and nuts of all kinds, flavors, spices,
cheese, chocolate, etc. These are worked into the biscuit in many
different ways, for example : The fruits may be mixed with
the dough or they may be used as a topping; the dough may be
rolled into thin sheets with a layer of fruit between forming a
sort of fruit sandwich; the fruit may be made into a jam and
applied to the cake after it is baked. Similar variety of proc-
esses may be used in the case of nuts, spices, chocolate and other
accessories.
Manufacturing. — The manufacture of biscuit may be divided
into sponge, sweet and iced goods. The sponge goods are those
commonly known as soda crackers, oyster crackers and the like.
These are all raised with yeast. The greatest care must be taken
throughout the process to keep all the conditions exactly uniform.
In modern factories the temperature of the room in which the
doughs rise is kept at about 8o° F. If the temperature falls be-
low this a valve is automatically opened which introduces warm
air to all parts of the room. In the summer time cold air is
automatically supplied in the same way. Even the humidity of
the room is mechanically controlled in some cases. This great
I05 FOOD INDUSTRIES
care is necessary in order to insure a uniformly high grade prod-
uct.
The first operation consists in taking the temperature of the
flour. From this the temperature of the water can be calculated
which will bring the sponge after mixing to a temperature of
about J2° F. The yeast, flour and water are then mixed by
machinery and the product which is called a sponge is allowed
to lie in the proofing-room twelve hours or more. During this
time the yeast acting on some of the carbohydrates of the flour
produces carbon dioxide gas which raises the sponge to about
three times its original size; at the same time the gluten is made
more soft and elastic. The peculiarly appetizing taste of soda
crackers which can be developed in this way and no other, is
formed at this time in some unknown manner. After reaching its
maximum height some of the gas escapes and the surface of
the sponge drops several inches. It is then ready to be mixed
into the dough. Soda, salt, shortening and more flour are added
and the whole is remixed for about five minutes. It is then al-
lowed to stand several hours more. During this time the soda
neutralizes the acidity developed by the yeast and the whole dough
rises again. When ready it is wheeled in its clean steel car to
the dough brakes where by being rolled and folded between great
rollers it is kneaded into the proper thinness, and is made ready
for the machine which further shapes and stamps it into the
form in which it is baked with the design and trade mark im-
pressed upon the dough. It is now ready for the oven, where
it is baked at a temperature of from 500 to 6oo° F. Fig. 25.
After being baked and taken from the oven the biscuit are cooled
and packed.
The variety of sweet goods is almost infinite, depending not
only on the ingredients used but upon the stiffness of the dough
and the method of treating it. Some doughs are made with very
little wetting. These doughs are rolled out, cut and baked on
machines such as those described for sponge doughs and form
the familiar hard sweets. Other kinds of doughs are much softer,
ranging in stiffness down to that of heavy cream. These latter
are the cake doughs. The dough is poured into the hopper of a
FOOD INDUSTRIES IOO,
so-called "wire cut-cake machine" and is forced thence through
small holes. When the proper amount has come through it is
cut off automatically by a moving wire and falls on a pan which
is supported on a travelling apron below. This pan may be sent
immediately to the oven or the pan with the unbaked dough
upon it may be dipped in sugar, nuts, raisins, etc.
The ovens used in the biscuit industry are. of a type developed
especially for this industry and are of very interesting construc-
tion. They are large hollow structures with a capacity of about
that of an ordinary room, but are nearly two stories in height.
The walls are of brick, several feet in thickness. The oven is
heated by hard coal, fuel oil or natural gas from two fire boxes
located in the bottom of the oven. The oven heats up slowly
owing to the great thickness of the walls, but once heated through
the bricks radiate a steady, "solid" heat on the crackers from
every side. This is very necessary in order to secure a thorough
even bake. Movable shelves are hung inside the oven on a struc-
ture similar to a gigantic "Ferris Wheel" which can be started
and stopped automatically, bringing the shelves one after the
other to the oven's mouth which is situated in the upper part.
As each shelf comes to the oven's mouth pans full of baked
goods are withdrawn and their places are taken by other pans
full of fresh dough. These pans are carried on the movable
shelves around the circumference of the "Ferris Wheel" inside
the oven and are then brought back again to the mouth of the
oven thoroughly baked.
In the icing room, marshmallow, jams, jellies, chocolate and
other sweetmeats are applied to the already baked goods. The
work is now being done more and more by machinery, thereby
insuring perfect cleanliness and uniformity. These jellies, marsh-
mallows, etc., may be deposited on the top of the cake or the
whole cake may be dipped into them so that they form a complete
covering. The cakes then go to the trolleys. These are large
structures equipped with many hundreds of movable trays or
wires, the cakes either resting on the trays or pinned on to the
wires, are carried up and down and back and forth throughout
the length of the trolley until they are thoroughly dried and
IIO FOOD INDUSTRIES
ready for packing. The trolleys, as a rule, are shut in to protect
them from dust and dirt; temperature and moisture within are
carefully controlled.
Biscuits of all kinds, as soon as they are finished are packed
in the modern moisture- and dust-proof packages. These may
be cartons lined with waxed paper and carefully wrapped, or
the familiar glass front can. They are then ready to start, often
the same day that they are packed, on their journey to the ulti-
mate consumer.
MACARONI.
In the world's food products made from wheat, macaroni has
occupied an important place in the diet of several nations. The
Japanese claim to be the original manufacturers but whether this
be true or not, the Europeans first heard of it from the Chinese
who had been using it for a long period. Although the Germans
were the European discoverers of macaroni, it was the Italians
who early learned to appreciate its virtues and to adopt it as a
national food. By the 14th century, Italy was the only European
nation that understood the preparation, and for nearly four hun-
dred years she held the secret of the method of manufacture.
The Italian macaroni industry had its birth in Naples from
Whence it spread throughout Italy and finally to other parts of
Europe, but it was not until the latter part of the 19th century
that this product could be equalled in any other country. It was
finally introduced into France where it has become an important
industry. Although the United States is still a large importer of
macaroni, there has been a great growth in the macaroni industry
since the cultivation of durum wheat in our own northwestern
states.
In the preparation of macaroni a hard, very glutenous wheat
is used, called macaroni wheat. The early Neapolitan manufac-
turers won their fame on account of the excellent quality of the
Italian wheat. Unfortunately the cultivation of native wheat
is now sadly neglected in Italy. Russia for a long period has
produced some of the finest varieties. They were grown exten-
sively for macaroni-making long before Liebig started his experi-
FOOD INDUSTRIES III
mentation on hard wheat as a breadmaking material. Algerian
durum wheat, the wild goose wheat of Canada and Argentina
macaroni wheat are also largely exported for this industry.
Manufacturing Processes. — In the macaroni manufacture the
first step is the preparation of a coarse meal called "semolina"
or "semola." Wheat is cleaned by steeping in water, dried by
heat, ground and sifted. The husks and much of the starchy
flour are separated leaving the light amber, glutenous part re-
sembling a meal rather than flour. As a rule manufacturers
of macaroni buy their semola from millers, rather than do their
own grinding. The best macaroni is made by blending various
grades of semola much as flour is blended for breadmaking.
The semola is then put into an iron mixer, moistened with the
smallest possible quantity of hot water and thoroughly mixed
by machinery until the dough has a smooth and tough appear-
ance. The mass is kneeded for a few minutes and is transferred
to a cylinder. Pressure descends upon the dough, forcing it in
strings slowly through the perforated plate which forms the
bottom of the cylinder. The form of this plate fixes the char-
acter of the macaroni. If the holes contain a steel pin or conical
blade the dough takes the form of a pipe-stem and is known as
tube macaroni. Holes without pins give solid macaroni known
as spaghetti and vermicilli. A flat opening sometimes takes the
place of a round hole and ribbon forms are made. When the
strings of paste are the proper length they are cut either by
hand or by automatic rotary knives. The macaroni is then
thrown over reed poles to dry. When the weather is fine it is
left exposed to the sunlight for about two hours. When partly
dry, it is put into underground vaults and kept in this damp
place for about 12 hours or until the dough has lost some of its
brittleness and is once more pliable. The poles over which the
macaroni hangs are then carried to storehouses where they re-
main until the strings have a horn-like toughness. They are
now ready to be inspected, sorted, weighed and packed for ship-
ment. In case of bad weather the macaroni is dried under cover
for a longer period. The yellow color is produced by the use of
saffron or of a coal tar dye.
112 FOOD INDUSTRIES
Domestic Macaroni. — There is a constantly increasing demand
for macaroni made in the United States. The hardest variety of
wheat is used especially the hard wheat of Kansas and that
grown in the semi-arid lands. The drying, especially in the eastern
states is done entirely indoors, the lengths being hung over
wooden rods in heated apartments through which currents of air
are driven. The product is very satisfactory and the sanitary
conditions connected with the manufacture are largely in advance
of those under which many imported brands are produced.
Judging Quality. — A good quality of macaroni should have a
soft yellowish color, should be rough in texture, elastic, hard, and
should break with a smooth, glassy fracture. In boiling it should
double its original size and should not become pasty or adhesive.
As a Food. — Macaroni is a very palatable and nutritious food.
It can be kept for a length of time without deterioration and is
comparatively inexpensive. Being high in protein it readily re-
places meat in the diet.
CHAPTER VIII.
LEAVENING AGENTS.
Early in the history of the human family, it was found that
in order to make bread easy to masticate and more readily digest-
ible, it must be puffed up before it was baked. This could best
be accomplished by a gas with heat to expand it. C0 2 was the
first gas used, obtained through the agency of yeast, and nothing
has ever been found that can equal its action as a leavening agent.
Advantages. — (i) CO, is generated by the action of the yeast
enzyme on the carbohydrate of the meal or flour, so no foreign
substance is introduced into the dough; (2) The slow liberation
of the gas causes it to have its full effect as a leavening agent ;
(3) The by-products produced during fermentation give a
pleasant taste; (4) Bread made by yeast is more easily digested.
Disadvantages. — ( 1 ) The time required for leavening is long ;
(2) Careful watching and studying of favorable conditions for
the growth of yeast are necessary or the result will be sour or
sodden bread ; (3) It involves a loss of carbohydrate in the form-
ation of products which are volatile at the baking temperature ;
(4) As yeast is a living organism, it is impossible to calculate the
amount of gas produced.
Chemical Agents. — The necessity of sometimes raising bread
quickly has led to a study of chemical agents which will produce
C0 2 . With this method the gas is liberated in the presence of
water by the action of an acid or acid salt on a bicarbonate, usu-
ally the sodium compound. The salt resulting from the chemical
action of the acid and base remains in the dough.
Advantages. — 1. The time is shortened. In a few minutes a
light, spongy dough can be prepared which would require hours
by the use of yeast fermentation; (2) No loss of the carbohy-
drate is involved; (3) It is possible to calculate the amount of
gas which may be produced if the composition of the chemical
reagents is known.
Disadvantages. — ( 1) The taste is not as good as that of bread
raised by yeast; (2) The product is not as readily digestible; (3)
114 FOOD INDUSTRIES
The residue resulting from the chemical action remains in the
loaf. As these residues have no nutritive value, they can only be
regarded as waste products, and may retard digestion.
Early Use of Chemical Agents. — Long before the scientific inves-
tigation along the line of these reagents was begun, the house-
wife was making use of the same principle in the utilization of
sour milk and saleratus to lighten dough. Although this method
was very effective, it had two serious drawbacks: r. The acidity
of the milk was apt to be over-estimated. Lactic acid is caused
by the action of bacteria in milk on the lactose or milk sugar.
CtfHjjOn.HjQ *-»• 4C 3 H 6 3 .
When 0.9 per cent, is formed the action is stopped, the lactic
acid acting as a preservative. In sour milk as used for cooking
purposes, the acidity rarely exceeds 0.4-0.5 per cent. As a rule
too large an amount of saleratus was used thus giving an excess
of alkali. This affected the taste and interfered with protein
digestion. 2. The saleratus of to-day is not KHCO s , but a
cheaper and stronger compound NaHC0 3 , approximately four
parts of which according to the molecular weight, will do the
work of five parts of the potassium compound. Old recipes
should therefore be reduced to j/5 of the amount suggested. In
old cook books may be found the recipe for cream of tartar soda
biscuit conforming very closely to proportions in use at the
present time.
Baking Powders. — The introduction of baking powders some
fifty to sixty years ago was a great advantage although the early
powders were very crude. The first one prepared had for its
ingredients Na 2 C0 3 and H 2 S0 4 , but this proved too troublesome
to be practical. Liebig suggested the use of the NaHC0 3 and
HC1 which would give a residue of NaCl, a perfectly harmless
product. The bicarbonate was found to be so satisfactory that
its use has continued to the present time, but experimentation
soon proved that the acid could not be used. Commercial HC1
almost invariably contains traces of arsenic, minute quantities of
which could be found in the dough. Another acid ingredient
was sought, one which would be effective, comparatively cheap,
FOOD INDUSTRIES 115
with good keeping qualities and which would give a harmless
residue. In the early sixties Professor Horsford patented a
compound consisting of acid phosphate of lime and bicarbonate
of soda with starch as a filler. Later, taking advantage of the
old housewife's recipe of cream of tartar and soda, a similar
product was put on the market. At a still later period powders
containing alums and mixtures of alums and phosphate appeared
but for many years the manufacture and sale of tartrate powders
exceeded all others.
Important forms of powders on the market are known as
tartrate, calcium phosphate, sodium phosphate and alum phos-
phosphate. Tartrate powders consist of mixtures of cream of
tartar, bicarbonate of soda in proportion of two to "one by weight
and dry starch about one-fifth by weight. In a few instances the
cream of tartar is partially replaced by tartaric acid. Calcium
phosphate powders consist of soluble acid calcium phosphate, bi-
carbonate of soda and starch as filler. Sodium phosphate powders
contain monosodium phosphate, bicarbonate of soda and starch.
Alum phosphate powders consist of sodium aluminium sulphate,
popularly known as S. A. S., acid calcium phosphate, bicarbonate
of soda and starch filler.
Until the passing of the law prohibiting their use, there were
many straight alum powders on the market. They contained
starch as filler, bicarbonate of soda and potassium, sodium or
ammonium aluminium sulphate. They were very effective but
were found to be so objectionable on account of the amount of
alum present that their sale has been practically abolished.
There has been much controversy as to the relative merits of
these powders, the chief point of discussion being the residue,
"What is it?" "What amount is present?" "Is it harmful?" Of
the phosphate powders, the sodium compound is undoubtedly the
least harmful and the most efficient. A glance at the following
reactions and table will give some idea of the relative value.
Il6 FOOD INDUSTRIES
TARTRATE POWDER.
188 84 54 282 44
KHC 4 H 4 6 + NaHC0 3 + 3H 2 — NaKC 4 H 4 6 ,4H 2 + CO,
20 per cent, filler.
1 level T. of powder weighs 3.00 grams and contains 20 per
cent, of starch. This yields approximately 0.4 gram C0 2 or
200 c.c. at o° C, which becomes 273 c.c. at ioo° C, the highest
temperature of the oven. The residue of crystallized Rochelle
Salts amounts to 2.5 grams.
CALCIUM PHOSPHAf E POWDER.
234 168 180
CaH 4 (P0 4 ) 2 + 2 NaHC0 3 + ioH 2 -*
136 358 88
CaHP0 4 + Na 2 HP0 4 ,i2H 2 -f- 2C0 2
CaHP0 4 is insoluble in water ; it requires free acid for solution.
1 level T. of powder weighs 4.4 grams and contains 25 per
cent, of starch. This yields approximately 0.72 gram C0 2 or
355 c.c. at o° C. which becomes 485 c.c. at ioo° C. the highest
point of the oven. The residue of phosphates weighs 4.05 grams.
SODIUM PHOSPHATE POWDER.
120 84 142 44
NaH 2 Po 4 + NaHCo 3 -+- uH,0 — ■ Na 2 HP0 4) i2H 2 + C0 2
2,2 per cent, filler.
1 level T. of powder weighs 3.75 grams and contains 32 per
cent, of starch. This yields approximately 0.545 gram C0 2 or
274 c.c. at o° C. which becomes 374 c.c. at ioo° C. the highest
point of the oven. The residue of soluble sodium phosphate
weighs 4.41 grams.
ALUM PHOSPHATE POWDER.
475 2 34 336
(NH 4 ) 2 A1 2 (S0 4 ) 4 + CaH 4 (P0 4 ) 2 + 4 NaHC0 3 +
144 245 192
8H 2 — A1 2 (P0 4 ) 2 + CaS0 4 ,2H 2 -f
132 644 176
(NH 4 ) 2 S0 4 + 2Na 2 S0 4 ,ioH 2 + ^C0 2
1 level T. of powder weighs 2.85 grams and contains ZZ J A P er
FOOD INDUSTRIES
117
cent, of starch. ■ This yields approximately 0.32 gram C0 2 or
160 c.c. at o° C. which becomes 218 c.c. at ioo° C. the highest
point of the oven. Residue weighs 2.17 grams.
Weight of
iT. of
powder
Weight of
1 T. of
powder
less the
filler
Weight
of C0 2
Volume
of CO.,
at o° C.
Volume
of COo at
the oven
tempera-
ture
Weight
of the
residue
Remarks
Tartrate
3 grams
2.4 grams
04 gram
200 c.c.
237 c.c.
2.5 grams
All soluble
in water.
Residue con-
tains water
of crystal-
lization.
Calcium
phosphate
4.4 grams
3.3 grams
0.72 gram
355 c.c.
485 c.c.
4.05 grams
27.5 % insol-
ubl e in
water.
Residue con-
tains water
of crystal-
lization.
Sodium
phosphate
3.75 grams
2.5 grams
0-545 gram
274 c.c.
374 c.c.
4.41 grams
All soluble
in water
Residue con-
tains water
of crystal-
lization.
Alum
phosphate
2.85 grams
1.9 grams
0.32 gram
160 c.c.
218 c.c.
2.17 grams
36.6 54 insol-
uble in
water.
Residue con-
tains water
of crystal-
lization.
Relative Efficiency. — Tartrate powders are expensive, but
they keep well so are effective when old. They yield a residue
of Rochelle Salts which is soluble in water. Tartrate powders
may be prepared at home by thoroughly mixing y 2 -pound of
cream of tartar, %-pound of bicarbonate of soda and }4-pound
of starch or lactose. Lactose has been found to be very effective
as a filler. It has great lasting power but is more expensive.
Calcium phosphate and alum phosphate powders are cheap
but they do not keep well and leave a residue which is largely
insoluble in water. They cannot be successfully made in the
household.
Until a conclusion was drawn by the Referee Board of the
Department of Agriculture, alum in foods was considered deteri-
mental to health. It is the belief now that aluminium compounds
in such quantities as would be found in bread do not affect in-
Il8 FOOD INDUSTRIES
juriously the nutritive value or render them detrimental to
health. Dr. Taylor calls attention to the fact, however, that the
regular ingestion of sodium sulphate which acts as a cathartic,
cannot be recommended. Since alum phosphate powders leave
such a residue, biscuit prepared from them should not have a
place in the daily diet*.
Ammonia Powders. — Bakers have been using ammonium car-
bonate very effectively as a leavening agent. It has the great ad-
vantage of leaving no residue, but must be used in very small
quantities or the product will taste of ammonia.
(NH 4 ) 2 C0 3 — 2NH3 + CO, + H 2 0.
Cream of Tartar. — Almost all of the cream of tartar and tar-
taric acid used in this country are imported, the largest amounts
coming from Germany and France. They are by-products of
the wine industry being obtained from a certain kind of sour
wine. Cream of tartar or potassium bitartrate is a normal con-
stituent of grapes, occurring in comparatively large amounts.
When the fruit is crushed and pressed in the preparation of
wine, most of the tartrate salts being soluble pass out with the
juice. There is no tendency for them to become insoluble and
precipitate in crystalline form until the grape juice reaches 5-6
per cent, of alcoholic strength. This occurs during the fermen-
tation process. It is customary to float branches of the grape
vine in the fermenting vats. As the alcohol increases, gradually
cream of tartar is deposited upon the sides of the vat and on the
floating branches. The crystals carry down with them the color
of the wine. They are known commercially as "argols." There
is also a dark deposit at the bottom of a full barrel of new wine
after it has stood long enough to settle, called the "lees." From
argols, cream of tartar is made. "Lees" contains a larger amount
of calcium tartrate and is used more extensively for the produc-
tion of tartaric acid.
Argols is not pure cream of tartar as it carries down in pre-
cipitating, other constituents of the grape. These impurities
must be removed. In the process of refining, the crystals of
* See U. S. Bulletin 103. Alum in Foods.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 119
argols are powdered, dissolved in boiling water and filtered to
remove dirt and other foreign matter. The color can be removed
with egg albumin or by filtering while hot through bone-black.
The solution is then run into shallow receivers and as the clear
liquid cools, cream of tartar separates and is deposited in thick
masses of crystals. These crystals may be further purified by
again dissolving in hot water and recrystallizing. When all the
impurities are removed, the crystals are powdered in a mill and
are then ready for the market.
Tartaric Acid. — Tartaric acid may be prepared from the lees
by the action of sulphuric acid. The calcium is removed in the
form of a sulphate.
CaC 4 H 4 6 + H 2 S0 4 — H 2 C 4 H 4 6 + CaS0 4 .
Tartaric acid is used largely in pharmacy and in the textile in-
dustry, either as the acid or as tartar emetic in certain dyeing
processes and in calico printing.
Acid Phosphate of Lime. — The soluble acid phosphate as used
in the baking powder industry does not occur in nature, but must
be manufactured. Calcium phosphate Ca 3 (P0 4 ) 2 , occurs in the
mineral known as apatite or rock phosphate. It is a form that
is insoluble in water, but can be readily made soluble by treatment
with an acid.
Ca 3 (P0 4 ) 2 + 2H 2 S0 4 «— CaH 4 (POA + 2CaS0 4 .
The mixture of calcium phosphate and sulphate is separated by
nitration, soluble phosphate being found in the liquid portion
from which it can be crystallized.
Bicarbonate of Soda. — The preparation of soda constitutes
to-day one of our largest and most important industries. Alkali
compounds have been used for cleaning purposes by the house-
wife, for many centuries, but this represents only about one per
cent, of the soda manufactured. It is also needed in many in-
dustries such as soap-making, glass manufacture and in the
bleaching of cotton and linen goods.
The original alkali used was potassium carbonate obtained
from potassium salts which are widely spread throughout plant
120 FOOD INDUSTRIES
life. The housewife formerly obtained her supply from the ashes
of her wood fire. Boiling water was poured over the dead embers
of the fire, and the solution was boiled down giving a lye which
was used for the preparation of soft soap. By further evapora-
tion the lye yielded flat, pearly crystals of carbonate of potash
commonly known as pearl ash. Being hygroscopic, on exposing
to air pearl ash absorbs moisture and in this condition is very
attractive to carbon dioxide, eventually resulting in bicarbonate
of potassium or saleratus. This operation was usually conducted
in the cooler portion of the chimney flue. For many years the
manufacturer copied the housewife's process on a larger scale.
Later when mineral deposits of potash compounds were discov-
ered it became possible to prepare potassium salts from that
source increasing the yield and lowering the cost of production.
The largest deposits occur on the western coast of South America
and in the region of North Germany which has Stassfurt as the
center.
It was not until the 18th century that another alkali was found
to take its place. This was discovered by the Spaniards who
prepared it by burning to ash a sea-weed found along their coast.
It contained a sodium compound which yielded a carbonate on
heating. The soda compound, being stronger and cheaper than
potash, was readily received by the manufacturers and used by
them, until the early days of the 19th century. Warfare at that
time interfered with commerce and Spain being hostile, the
French manufacturers were cut off from their source of supply.
Napoleon was determined to get some means of replacing this
alkali and as France was poor in mineral deposits, he offered a
reward for the discovery of a practical process for making sod-
ium carbonate. Everything used in the manufacture, however,
must be obtained in France. Many chemists worked at this prob-
lem and a process was finally discovered by Le Blanc which is
used in many places at the present time.
Le Blanc Method. — Le Blanc used in the preparation of soda,
dry salt which he obtained from the sea, by the process of evap-
oration. He then mixed together salt and concentrated sulphuric
FOOD INDUSTRIES 121
acid, which were heated to a red heat causing the escape of hydro-
2NaCl + H 2 S0 4 — Na a S0 4 + 2HCI
chloric acid and leaving a residue of impure sodium sulphate
known as "the salt cake." The salt cake was broken up and
mixed with powdered coal and limestone and was then treated
in a reverberatory furnace, resulting in an impure product known
as "Black Ash."
Na 2 S0 4 + 2C — Na 2 S + 2C0 2 ,
Na 2 S + CaC0 3 — Na 2 C0 3 + CaS.
Na^COs can be obtained from this residue by solution in water
which eventually yields on evaporation the commercial form
known as soda ash. Sal soda Na^COg, ioH 2 is obtained by
crystallizing the solution of soda ash.
Baking soda, bicarbonate of soda, is sometimes made by mix-
ing the calculated quantities of soda ash and sal soda in a moist
state forming the product into blocks and subjecting them to the
action of carbon dioxide.
9Na 2 C0 3 + Na 2 C0 3 , ioH 2 + ioC0 2 — - 20 NaHC0 3 .
Hydrochloric acid was practically unknown commercially until
the invention of the Le Blanc process of soda manufacture. At
first it was allowed to escape into the air and being washed
down by rain it found its way into neighboring streams. This
soon caused the destruction, of animal and plant life and was
also a waste of a valuable by-product. Later it was discovered
that HC1 could be run into water and sold. This opened up a
new industry and did much toward making the Le Blanc method
a commercial success.
When more HC1 was produced than was needed, it was soon
found that from it chloride of lime could be prepared, and a
valuable disinfectant and bleaching agent was placed upon the
market.
Value of the he Blanc Process. — The raw materials salt, coal,
limestone and sulphuric acid are common and inexpensive. The
furnace and plant can be put up at a fairly low price. The by-
products are important and have done much toward keeping this
process in existence.
Solvay Process. — The So.lvay method of preparing sodium
122 FOOD INDUSTRIES
carbonate was invented in i860 by a Belgian named Solvay, and
has practically superseded the Le Blanc process. Scattered
throughout the world are large deposits of salt, sometimes in the
dry state as in the salt mines of Germany and England, at other
times in the form of brine. Brine wells occur more extensively
and as the Le Blanc method required dry salt, it was found very
troublesome to evaporate the water. The Solvay process can
make use of the brine. This has been a great benefit to America
for brine wells are abundant in Michigan, Louisiana and New
York State. Syracuse is an important center in the American
soda industry. Brine is also much easier to handle. It is
pumped to the surface, saturated with ammonia, and then with
carbon dioxide.
NaCl + H 2 + NH 3 + C0 2 — NaHC0 3 + NH,C1.
NaHC0 3 is separated by filtration.
If sodium carbonate is wanted the bicarbonate is heated.
2 NaHC0 3 — Na 2 C0 3 + H 2 + C0 2 .
The ammonium chloride obtained in this process can be de-
composed by heating with quicklime, and the ammonia given off
is again used for the treatment of another batch of brine. This
process is cheaper and simpler than the Le Blanc and furnishes
a purer product.
Niagara Process. — By the use of electricity, a method of pre-
paring soda has been discovered, which is a serious rival to both
the Le Blanc and Solvay processes. Brine is run into partitioned
tanks containing electrodes. When the current is turned on ion-
ization of the salt occurs.
NaCl + H 2 — NaOH + HC1.
NaOH passes to the negative pole in one partition as it carries
a positive change and HC1 goes to the positive pole in the other
partition. Caustic soda can readily be utilized in the preparation
of the carbonate and the bicarbonate.
2 NaOH + C0 2 «— Na 2 C0 3 + H 2 0,
Na 2 C0 3 + H 2 Q + C0 2 — * 2 NaHCQ,.
In this industry HC1 can again be used as a by-product for the
preparation of chloride of lime or can be utilized in the acid
form.
CHAPTER IX.
STARCH AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES.
Starch is one of the most widely diffused substances in the
vegetable kingdom. With the exception of the fungi, it has been
found in varying amounts in every plant that scientists have so
far examined. It occurs in relatively large amounts in different
parts of the plant as in the seed (cereals), the root (cassava),
the tuber (potato), the fruit (banana), the stem (celery, rhu-
barb, sago), and in the leaves (spinach).
Composition and Formation. — See Chapter I, Food Principles.
Physical Characteristics. — -To the naked eye, starch has the
appearance of a glistening white powder. It is neutral to litmus,
has no odor or taste, does not crystallize and has a harsh feeling
when rubbed between the fingers. When seen through a micro-
scope, it consists of granules of various forms, round, oval, etc.,
differing greatly in size, according to the source. This has served
as a valuable means of identifying starch. Although the size
and shape may differ, all starch granules have a characteristic
appearance. They are arranged in layers around a central nu-
cleus. The outside consists of a substance closely resembling
cellulose and within the granule or package is found the true
starch.
Physical and Chemical Properties. — Insoluble in cold water.
With iodine, starch gives a characteristic blue color.
Starch absorbs moisture from the atmosphere until it contains
approximately 18 per cent. In very damp weather, it has been
found to absorb a much larger quantity.
When heated dry to 200 C. or more it is converted into dex-
trin.
When heated in the presence of water, the contents of the
granules swell enormously owing to a large absorption of water,
and cause the rupture of the outer wall. The starch freed from
the package forms a viscous liquid known as starch paste.
Uses. — While its place in the diet would alone make starch an
important article of commerce, the manufacturer finds many
124 FOOD INDUSTRIES
another market for his product. It is used: in laundries; for
food, such as puddings, sauces and jellies; for candies, such as
gum drops arid lozenges ; in baking powders ; in the textile in-
dustry for stiffening and finishing fabrics ; in wall paper manu-
facture as a filler, finisher and size ; for cosmetics, asbestos, soaps
and adhesives; in brewing beer, ales and in the manufacture of
alcohol; for the manufacture of dextrin and glucose.
Source of Supply. — While starch is so widely distributed in the
vegetable kingdom, there are comparatively few plants that can
be utilized as a source of supply for the manufacture. In look-
ing for his raw material, the starch producer must consider sev-
eral important points: ist, the ease with which the plant can be
grown in his locality; 2nd, the amount of starch yielded by the
plant; 3rd, the ease of extraction; 4th, the presence of other
constituents, such as protein and oil, which make the process
difficult.
With these points in mind, the European manufacturer
chooses the potato, wheat and rice. The American uses corn
and to a limited extent the potato and wheat. In the East and
West Indies the cassava furnishes the chief source of starch.
The arrowroot is utilized in the West Indies and parts of South
America, and the sago in the East Indies.
POTATO STARCH.
The potato is a valuable source of starch on account of the
great ease of extraction. The starch content is comparatively
low as compared with corn and wheat, but protein, mineral mat-
ter and oil are present in such small amounts that they do not
interfere with the manufacturing processes. As a rule only about
20 per cent, of starch is found in the potato, although in certain
parts of Germany the starch content has reached from 25-29
per cent.
Potatoes can be grown very easily in temperate climates, nota-
bly Germany, England, Scotland and Ireland. In the United
States, Maine produces a high quality potato ; Wisconsin and
Colorado also grow potatoes for the starch industry. The follow-
FOOD INDUSTRIES 1 25
ing demonstration may be used to illustrate the simplicity of the
method used :
Extraction of Starch. — Clean and remove the skin from a small
potato. Rub it on an ordinary grater, collect the gratings in a
beaker of cold water, strain and allow the cloudy liquid to stand
until the starch settles. Pour off the liquid. The starch can be
purified by the addition of water, thoroughly mixing and allow-
ing the starch to again settle. Remove the water by filtration
and dry the starch with low heat.
Although the manufacturer uses more or less complicated
machinery to carry out these operations, the commercial pro-
cesses are practically the same.
Processes in Manufacture. — Cleaning. — The washing of po-
tatoes must be thorough or the quality of the starch will surfer.
The adhering dirt and sand are carefully removed by washing
in revolving wooden drums, so constructed that the water carry-
ing dirt and other impurities can escape through narrow open-
ings. Inside the drums, devices, such as bristle or wire brushes,
or revolving arms which rub the potatoes together, are some-
times used to assist in the cleansing.
Rasping.— The potatoes are reduced to a pulp in machines
called raspers. These are usually revolving cylinders containing
saw blades or knife edges to assist in the pulping process. Water
is added at the time of rasping and the starch pulp is fed to a
sifting machine.
Sifting. — Shaking tables covered with gauze separate the starch
from the potato pulp. The pulp can be pressed, dried, and
sold as a low grade cattle food. The starch suspended in water
passes through the sieves to settling tanks. When it has settled in
a firm mass, it can be broken up and sent at once to a drying
kiln or can be further refined.
All root starches follow the same principle in the extraction
of the starch.
TAPIOCA.
Tapioca is an important food product prepared from the
starch of the cassava, a plant largely grown in Brazil and other
126
FOOD INDUSTRIES
tropical countries. The extraction of the starch is carried out
by the processes of grinding and washing with water, similar to
those described under potato starch. The product is sometimes
known as Brazilian arrowroot. In the manufacture of tapioca,
the starch while still damp is placed in shallow pans and sub-
jected to low heat. As the moisture is driven off, the tempera-
ture is gradually raised until the starch granules burst and ad-
here together, forming the mass into small irregularly shaped
translucent kernels. A similar product may be obtained by mak-
ing a starch paste, subjecting it to heat, and forcing it through
Fig. 28. — Sheds and Board Used for Drying the Tapioca. (Courtesy of The Spiee
Mill Publishing Co.)
metal screens from which it is dropped and cooled. Tapioca is
placed on the market in various forms according to the amount
of heat used and differences in mechanical operations.
Starch derived from other sources may be subjected to the
same treatment and an equally nutritious product be obtained.
As genuine tapioca, however, is always prepared from cassava
starch, other imitative forms must be classed as substitution
products.
FOOD INDUSTRIES I27
Outline of the Corn Products Industry. —
Cleaned.
Kernel softened by steeping.
Crushed.
Separated by gravity.
( 1 ) Germ flows off from the top with the raw starch
liquor, screened from the latter, dried, ground,
pressed.
(2) Hulls flow off from the bottom with the raw starch
liquor, screened from the latter, then ground in
burr mills and become part of gluten feed.
(3) Endosperm (raw starch liquor) separated by grav-
( Starch
ity on tables into -j
(_ Gluten, which with corn sol-
ubles obtained from steep-
ing water, becomes part
of the gluten feed.
Starch is purified and sold as
Starch — laundry lump, crystal, pearl powder, etc.
1. By process of roasting.
Dextrin
2. By use of a dilute acid.
f Boiled with dilute
Glucose by process of hydrolysis <
acid 0.06 %
Neutralized.
Filtered.
Decolorized
Concentrated.
CORN PRODUCTS INDUSTRY.
The abundance of the growth of corn in the United States
and the many by-products obtained, make it an important source
of starch, although the composition of the kernel involves elabo-
rate methods for the extraction.
The kernel of corn consists of an outer coating called the hull,
the germ of which contains a comparatively large amount of oil,
and the endosperm where are found starch and protein.
128
FOOD INDUSTRIES
When received at the factory, the corn contains some impuri-
ties and the kernel is in a dry, hard condition.
Processes in Manufacture. — Cleaning. — Corn like other cereals
contains a certain amount of foreign matter, such as bits of corn
cob, pieces of wood, lint, dust and dirt. These are removed by
screening, while magnets are used for drawing out bits of iron,
nails and the like.
Fig. 29. — Steeped Corn Running to Crushers. (Courtesy of Corn Products Refining Co.)
Steeping.— In order to separate the kernel into its com-
ponent parts, the hard, dry grain must first be softened. This is
accomplished by steeping in water for approximately 40 hours
at a temperature of no° F. Steam is injected to maintain the
circulation and to keep the temperature at the desired degree.
A very small amount of acid, 0.005 P er cent. H 2 SO s , is added to
prevent fermentation. This is afterward removed by thorough
washing. When the grain has absorbed sufficient moisture to
cause a loosening and softening of the various parts, the water
FOOD INDUSTRIES
129
is drawn off, leaving the kernel of corn in a moist, soft condition.
The steepwater is evaporated and the solubles of the corn are
incorporated with the gluten feed. The steeped corn is run to
the crushers (Fig. 29).
Crushing. — The softened grain is passed through a mill
called the crusher (Fig. 30) which consists of two large disks set
face to face having projecting teeth and rotating in opposite di-
rections. The crusher is supposed to grind only to a coarse meal,
thus leaving the germ and hull intact.
Fig. 30. — Crushers. (Courtesy of Corn Products Refining Co.)
Separation. — The resulting mass is fed to a long, narrow
tank about 25 feet long, 4 feet wide and 8 feet deep, filled with
starch liquor of about 8° Baume, where taking advantage of the
difference in the specific gravity, a separation of the various
parts is effected. The germ being the lightest rises to the top and
floats over the weir at the end of the tank; the hulls sink to the
bottom and flow off with the starch liquor (Fig. 31). The germs
are passed over screens or shakers. They are then washed to
i3°
FOOD INDUSTRIES
Fig. 31. — Separators. (Courtesy of Corn Products Refining Co.)
Fig. 32. — Hydraulic Presses for Oil. (Courtesy of Corn Products Refining Co.)
FOOD INDUSTRIES 131
free them from adhering starch, dried, ground fine, heated,
wrapped in cloth and pressed (Fig. 32). The pressure causes
the oil to flow out, leaving the oil cake which is sold for cattle
food. The oil is cleared of foots by settling and passing through
a filter process. It may be used for the manufacture of soap,
soap powders, oil cloth, leather, paints and varnishes. By further
refining with a treatment which removes the free fatty acids and
other impurities, corn oil can be used for edible purposes as a
salad oil, for frying and cooking and as a shortening for bread
and cake. In this form, it is also utilized for pharmaceutical
purposes. By a vulcanizing process, corn oil yields a substance
called "paragol," which can be used as a rubber substitute in the
preparation of such articles as shoes, rubber specialties and auto-
mobile tires.
The Hulls and the Endosperm. — The hulls flow off from
the bottom of the separator together with the starch liquor (en-
dosperm) just as did the germs from. the top of the separator.
They then pass over screens, the starch liquor uniting with the
starch liquor of the germs. The hulls being coarse are ground
in burr mills, passed over screens, the starch liquor unites with
the starch liquor of the germs and of the hulls, and the ground
hull becomes part of the gluten feed, being mixed with the glu-
ten and corn solubles.
The starch liquor (endosperm) contains the starch and pro-
tein matter, which is spoken of as gluten by the manufacturer.
These must next be separated. This is effected by removing the
starch liquor screened from the germs, hulls and ground hulls,
directly upon tables from 60-120 feet long, 3 feet wide with an=
incline of about 4 inches. As there is a difference in specific
gravity, the starch settles while the liquid containing the protein
flows over the end of the run and is caught in a tank below. The
crude corn protein is mixed with the hulls, filter pressed, mixed
with the corn solubles, dried, ground and constitutes gluten feed.
The starch which settles to the bottom of the run is removed
by being shoveled while in a solid, moist condition. The purifi-
cation can be effected by the addition of water and again pass-
ing over the runs on which the starch settles. This process can
132
FOOD INDUSTRIES
be repeated until all foreign matter, such as traces of fat and
protein are removed. Pearl starch, that to be used for baking
powder and for certain classes of food starch, is prepared by
breaking up the starch from the table and placing it on trays
which are put up into iron wagons, run into kilns, and dried. The
lump starch and crystal forms are prepared by mixing the starch
from the tables with water, then running it into boxes with per-
forated bottom lined with cloth (Fig. 33). The boxes are al-
Fig. 33- — Dripping Boxes. (Courtesy of Corn Products Refining Co.)
lowed to stand until the water runs off, then turned over and the
thick slab of starch is broken up into cubes (Fig. 34). These
are either wrapped in paper or put in trays and placed in drying
ovens, where after ten or more days they are drawn out.
Dextrins are produced in the same factory usually by the
simple process of roasting. The different varieties depend upon
the time and heat applied.
Uses of Dextrins. — For the manufacture of gums, glues, muci-
lage and other adhesives ; for cloth, carpets and twine ; for leather
FOOD INDUSTRIES
133
dressings, paper and ink ; for food sauces ; in the textile industry,
in sizes for strengthening the fiber and finishing the fabric. Also
for thickening colors for calico and other printing.
CORN SYRUP OR GLUCOSE.
On account of its source commercial glucose is known in the
United States as corn syrup. The term glucose is derived from
the Greek word "Glykos" meaning sweet. It is a carbohydrate
Fig. 34. — Emptying Starch from Drip Boxes. Breaking into Cubes.
(Courtesy of Corn Products Refining Co.)
of the monosaccharid group, C 6 H 12 6 , and is found in nature in
the juice of many plants, such as grapes, cherries and sweet corn.
Although it exists at times in relatively large amounts, the com-
mercial source of glucose is always starch on account of the
cheapness of that material, and the comparatively simple process
of manufacture. In Europe glucose was first prepared from the
potato starch during the early part of the 19th century, and has
134 FOOD INDUSTRIES
long been looked upon as a nutritious food. It was not until
after the Civil War, however, that American manufacturers
started experimenting with corn starch as a source of supply
for glucose. As grape sugar and corn syrup, it was soon placed
upon the market. The products from corn compared very fav-
orably with those made abroad from potato starch and so rapidly
has the manufacture grown, that it is now one of our most im-
portant industries.
Glucose is sold in the liquid form, either white or colored,
with or without flavoring, and as a solid in the powdered and
crystalline form, all under various trade names. The commercial
forms containing 50 per cent, or less of actual glucose are known
as glucose. Corn sugar includes the solid forms of glucose con-
taining more than 50 per cent.
Uses for Liquid Glucose. — For confectionery, syrups, jams,
jellies, pie filling, puddings, preserves and mince meat; in the
brewing of beer; in chewing tobacco; in silvering glasses for
mirrors ; in liquid soaps, hair tonics, blacking and shoe polishes ;
in food sauces and in the canning of meats ; for pastes and sizes ;
in the tanning of leather and in rice polishing.
Uses for Corn Sugar. — In the manufacture of caramel (sugar
coloring) ; in brewing of beers, porters, etc.; for vinegar; in the
manufacture of lactic acid; in bread making.
Processes of Manufacture. — Whether in Europe or America,
whether from potato or corn starch, the manufacturer must use
the process of hydrolysis to obtain glucose. This is accom-
plished by heating starch in a closed digestor, with a minute
quantity of muriatic acid. The amount of acid used represents
proportionately about a fifth of the same acid contained in the
gastric juice.
The heating is continued until the starch reaction with iodine
has disappeared. At the present time, a pressure of 35 pounds
is maintained and the operation at that pressure is finished in
about five to ten minutes.
On the continent and in England H 2 S0 4 is the agent used for
hydrolysis. This is afterwards neutralized with marble dust
FOOD INDUSTRIES 135
which with the acid forms an insoluble precipitate. During the
process of refining this precipitate is removed.
H 2 S0 4 -f- CaCO s — CaSO, -f H 2 -| C0 2 .
The American manufacturer prefers the use of HC1 although
it is more expensive. With soda ash as a neutralizing agent,
common salt is obtained as a residue, and being perfectly harm-
less, the manufacturer is saved the trouble of removing it.
American glucose therefore always contains sodium chloride.
2 HC1 + Na 2 CO s -~ 2 NaCl + H 2 + C0 2 .
After hydrolysis, the glucose solution is filtered to remove
small amounts of fat and protein occurring in the starch, and is
then decolorized by passing through bone-black, a similar pro-
cess to that used in the cane sugar industry. It is then evap-
orated to various degrees of concentration.
If hydrolysis has been continued until the dry substance in
the liquid consists of at least 86 parts of glucose, the product
after concentration instead of being a syrup, crystallizes and
hardens into a sugar after it has been run into barrels or pans.
CHAPTER X.
THE SUGAR INDUSTRY.
Source. — The disaccharid C 12 H 22 O ia , known as sucrose or sac-
charose, is found in a large variety of plants. It is so apt, however,
to be accompanied by the characteristic flavor of the plant, or other
carbohydrates, such as starch, glucose or invert sugar, that unless
it appears in relatively large proportions and can successfully
be freed from the taste, it does not pay commercially to extract
it. For the supply of raw sugar the world is largely dependent
to-day on the sugar cane and the sugar beet. Sugar-producing
plants of lesser importance in commerce are the maple tree, the
date palm, the sorghum and the maize.
History of the Sugar Cane.— Cane is the primitive source of
sugar. Prior to its discovery, many centuries before the Christ-
ian era, mankind was largely dependent upon honey as a sweet-
ening agent, and the European nations knew little of its use until
the 13th and 14th centuries. The original home of the cane was
undoubtedly in the east, for mention of it is made in many of
the sacred books of the Hindoos and Chinese. Its cultivation
was gradually carried westward by the Persians and Arabs, and
at the time of the crusades, sugar factories were found in opera-
tion in Syria and Palestine. Carried still further westward by
the Saracens and Moors the sugar cane was finally introduced
into Sicily and Spain. The discovery of America shortly after
this period led the Spaniards to carry the plant to the New
World, where it was found that it could be successfully grown
on the mainland and on adjacent islands. This opened a new
field for the growth of the cane and laid the foundation of a
great industry.
History of the Sugar Beet. — The history of the sugar beet in-
dustry dates only as far back as the early days of the 19th cen-
tury. A half century before its introduction, the German chemist
Margraff had called the attention of the Berlin Academy of
Science to the fact, that sugar could be extracted from the beet.
This discovery, however, lay dormant until an important histori-
FOOD INDUSTRIES 137
cal event cut off the European nations from their supply of cane
sugar. South-western Europe, at that time, was involved in
warfare and a great continental blockade was established. The
nations of Europe deprived of cane sugar searched for another
supply to take its place. Sugar from the maple and glucose from
the juice of grapes were used but could not supply the demand.
A former pupil of Margraff, Achard, finally turned the attention
of scientists to the beet, and a long series of investigations fol-
lowed which had for its final outcome the birth of the beet sugar
industry. It was first established in France by a decree issued by
Napoleon, January 15th, 181 1, and was greatly fostered by him
until the disastrous Russian campaign. Although the fall of that
dynasty interrupted, it did not destroy the industry, and in the
course of twenty years it had become of great commercial im-
portance. Undoubtedly the great progress in this industry was
largely due to the invention of the polariscope which greatly as-
sisted in a rapid determination of the amount of sugar present in
the beet.
About this period German scientists became interested, and
through their experimentation, marked progress was made in the
cultivation of the beet and in the methods of manufacture, which
in time placed Germany at the head of the sugar producing coun-
tries of the world. While the beet sugar industry has reached
its highest development in Germany it is rapidly becoming an
important source of sugar in the United States.
Comparison of Cane and Beet Sugar. — Since the time that beet
sugar began to assume commercial importance, there has been
much discussion in regard to the relative merits of these sugars
for use in the household. Scientists claim that chemically they
are the same, both having the formula C 12l H 22 11 , yet it has often
been said that beet sugar is not as sweet as cane sugar, and that
it cannot be used successfully for canning, jelly-making and pre-
serving. Experiments along this line were carried on at the Cali-
fornia Experiment Station by Prof. G. W. Shaw. The con-
clusion drawn from his experimental data was that sugar derived
from these two sources give equally satisfactory results both in
the household and for commercial purposes. Any differences
138 FOOD INDUSTRIES
occurring seemed due rather to processes of manufacture, such as
degree of fineness in granulation, rather than to the composition
of the sugars.
Properties of Sugar. — From the manufacturer's standpoint,
there are three important properties to be considered in preparing
the raw material for the market; 1st, solubility in water; 2nd,
crystallization ; 3rd, production of invert sugar.
THE CANE SUGAR INDUSTRY.
The manufacture of cane sugar as a rule is divided into two
distinct industries: 1st, the plantation where the plant is grown,
the juice extracted and made into raw sugar, the form in which
it is exported ; 2nd, the refinery where the raw sugar is received,
impurities removed and the sugar recrystallized, in which form
it is placed upon the market.
At the Plantation. — Growth. — The sugar cane belongs to the
family of grasses. It can be grown in a variety of climates, but
thrives best where it is moist and warm with intervals of hot, dry
weather. Such conditions are found near the coast in tropical
and sub-tropical countries. Cuba, Hawaii, Porto Rico, the Philip-
pine Islands, raise the sugar cane extensively. In the United
States this industry is confined to the Gulf States especially
Texas and Louisiana.
Outline of the Production of Raw Sugar. —
Cane cut in the green stage.
Cane crushed \ °, . :
I crude juice.
~ , . . j ( woody fiber.
Crude mice screened < • . J
■> I juice.
Juice treated with milk of lime; residue removed.
Juice concentrated,
a. Boiled down in open kettles.
Drained in hogsheads or casks \
° I muscovado
b. Boiled down in vacuum.
Separated in centrifuge
molasses,
raw sugar.
FOOD INDUSTRIES
139
Cutting. — When the crop is ready, the sugar cane is harvested
by cutting the stalks as close to the ground as possible. Consid-
erable care must be given that the plant is cut at the right time,
for should it reach maturity, much sugar would be lost to the
manufacturer. The sugar cane contains a substance known as
pectose which in time changes to pectic acid. The presence of
this acid rapidly converts the sugar into invert sugar which is not
crystallizable. The sugar planter knowing well the damage this
acid will do to his product cuts the cane while it is still green.
Fig- 35- — Cane Mill, Philippines.
(Courtesy of the School of Mines Quarterly, Columbia University.)
At the "green stage," the plant contains the maximum amount
of sugar and the minimum of undesirable substances. After
stripping the leaves from the stalk and removing the green upper
portion, the cane is taken to the mill for the extraction of the
juice.
Extraction of the Juice. — The most common method used with
the cane is crushing by means of heavy mills. Cane-mills
of to-day are of various types ranging from the crude
ox-driven mill of primitive countries (Fig. 35) to a high power
steam-driven roller mill where the most modern machinery can
be found. As the cane is received at the mill it is delivered by
I/J-O
FOOD INDUSTRIES
carriers to a high crusher (Fig. 36), which reduces the stalks to a
pulpy fiber and extract much of the juice. This mass then passes
to a mill composed of three rollers of the same size, set in such
a way that the first and second are not so close together as the
second and third. The rollers draw the cane within their grip,
subjecting it on its passage to great pressure, and causing the
rupture of the cells and the escape of more of the juice. A second
and third mill are sometimes used, more and more of the juice
being extracted by each roll. It is customary to spray the pulp
Fig. 36. — Cane Crusher, Hawaii.
(Courtesy of the School of Mines Quarterly, Columbia University.)
as it passes between the rolls to secure a greater degree of ex-
traction. From the roller-mill two products are obtained, the
exhausted cane which is called begasse, and the extracted juice
which must be purified before it can be converted into raw sugar.
Even with modern machinery, the extraction of juice by this
method is by no means perfect, — only from 75 to 80 per cent, of
the weight in cane juice is obtained. As the sugar cane con-
tains approximately 88 per cent, a considerable portion of the
sugar is lost in the begasse. Much experimenting has been done
to remove the juice from the cane by a method which will involve
less loss. The diffusion method used so largely in the beet sugar
FOOD INDUSTRIES
141
industry has been tried, but at present is being used in but few
of the large plantations in the United States.
Purification of the Raw Juice. — The second important step is
the purification of the raw juice by straining, to remove bits of
cane, and the addition of a clarifying agent. Milk of lime is the
agent most commonly used and the mass is heated to boiling.
This prevents fermentation, neutralizes the free organic acids
of the juice and assists in the coagulation of the dissolved matter.
A thick scum of impurities rises to the top of the kettle. This
Fig- 37- — Open Pan Kvaporators, Philippines.
(Courtesy of the School of Mines Quarterly, Columbia University.)
consists of lime salts and albuminous matter and is known as
"the blanket scum." The impurities are removed by skimming
and by sedimentation and passage through a filter press.
Evaporation. — The concentration of the juice may be carried
out in two ways: 1st the old-fashioned method of boiling down
in an open kettle; 2nd by the use of the vacuum pan. Large
open pans or kettles usually made of copper and heated over
direct fire are found now, only in primitive countries or on iso-
lated plantations (Fig. 37). Their use has been found to involve
a great loss of sugar, although the product obtained had an
agreeable aromatic taste much preferable to the refined sugar of
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FOOD INDUSTRIES
to-day. It was customary to boil down the sugar juice until the
mass began to crystallize. This necessitated a rise in temperature
from 212° to 240°-25o° F. and resulted in the formation of
caramel and invert sugar which must be looked upon as waste
from the standpoint of the manufacturer. After crystallization
had reached the desired point, the mass was freed from the syrup
by simply being run while hot into hogsheads having fine perfor-
ated bottoms, through which the molasses gradually drained out.
The light brown sugar obtained as a result of this process was
known as "muscovado" sugar. The molasses was very dark in
Fig. 38. — Vacuum Pans, Hawaii.
(Courtesy of the School of Mines Qucirterty, Columbia University.)
color but of excellent quality and without further treatment could
be used as a table syrup.
In all modern sugar mills, evaporation is carried on in vacuum
pans where concentration can be brought about with a lower
temperature, i6o°-i8o° F., thus avoiding the losses always oc-
curring in the open kettle method. The vacuum pan invented
in England in 1813 is a large closed vessel usually made of cop-
per containing steam-coils for heating, the vacuum being main-
tained by a pump (Fig. 38). Suitable openings are made in the
side for the entrance and exit of the juice, a window is inserted
where the operation can be watched, and an opening from which
FOOD INDUSTRIES
143
samples can be taken and tested. When the vacuum pan was
first introduced into this industry only one was used. It has
been found of great economic value, however, to use the vacuum
evaporators in series of two, three or more, known as the mul-
tiple effect vacuum (Fig. 39). When arranged in series, a low
vacuum is maintained in the first vessel, a little higher in the
second and still higher in the third and so on. The boiling point
for each succeeding vessel is thus reduced. When the system is
Fig- 39- — Multiple-effect Evaporating Apparatus
in operation, the steam arising from the juice in the first vessel
passes to the coils of the second vessel and serves as a heating
agent. The steam from the juice of the second vessel in turn
serves as a heating medium for the third vessel. After the
clarified juice has been evaporated to a syrup, it is run into a
single vacuum pan known as "the strike pan" when a high degree
of vacuum is maintained (Fig. 40). There it is concentrated
until the sugar begins to grain. Crystallization is allowed to
continue until the pan is full of crystals the desired size. The
mixture of crystals and syrup is known as "massecuite." The
144
FOOD INDUSTRIES
vacuum is then broken, air is admitted and the bottom of the
pan is opened so the contents can be transferred to a mixing ap-
paratus where the massecuite is kept in gentle motion. While
still warm the mixture is passed to a centrifugal machine which
causes a separation of the crystallized sugar and the molasses.
Fig. 40. — Vacuum Strike Pan.
Centrifugal. — The centrifugal or centrifuge is a hollow iron
drum containing a perforated basket (Fig. 41). It can be rapidly
rotated during which the sugar mass is thrown against the sides
of the basket and the molasses passes through the perforations.
FOOD INDUSTRIES
145
The sugar is then bagged and shipped to the country where it is
to be refined.
This is known as "the first sugar" and the molasses drained
from the sugar is called "the first molasses." This molasses may
be sold for household use or as it contains much sugar it may
be again worked over. This is accomplished by boiling it down
in vacuum and again centrifuging. By this means a second
Fig. 41. — Centrifugal Machines. (Courtesy of Sugar, Chicago, 111.)
sugar and a second molasses are obtained. The second molasses
may again be boiled down for a third sugar and molasses. While
the third molasses still contains about 30 per cent, sugar, it con-
tains so many impurities that the sugar will not crystallize.
THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY.
Growth. — Unlike the cane the sugar beet reaches its highest
development in a north temperate climate, although where the
soil has exceptionally good qualities, it has been grown success-
10
146
FOOD INDUSTRIES
fully in sub-tropical regions, but is not apt to contain as much
sugar. Moisture also plays an important part in the production
Fig. 42. — The Wild Beet. (Courtesy of Sugar, Chicago, 111.)
of a normal crop. The sandy soil, temperature, and moisture
near our western rivers in Colorado, and neighboring States,
furnish satisfactory farm land for this industry. Beets can also
FOOD INDUSTRIES
147
be grown successfully in irrigated areas and large tracts of waste
land it is hoped may be utilized in this way. Much experiment-
Fig. 43.— The Sugar Beet of To-day. (Courtesy of Sugar, Chicago, 111,)
ing is being done in regard to the cultivation of the beet, and
great improvement has been made especially in increasing the
sugar content (Figs. 42 and 43). The average percentage of
148
FOOD INDUSTRIES
FOOD INDUSTRIES 149
sugar is 13-14 per cent., while on irrigated area it has been in-
creased to 16-18 per cent. The yield per acre is still low, not
exceeding eight tons, while in Europe twelve to thirteen tons
are obtained (Fig. 44).
Outune; of the; Production of Raw Bfft Sugar. —
Beets are grown, harvested, topped.
Washed.
Sliced.
Diffused j P ul P- ■ -
( crude juice.
Crude juice is screened.
Defecated.
-p.. , f albuminous matter, etc.
I juice.
Concentratec
Centrifuged
Concentrated in vacuum,
molasses,
raw sugar.
Topped. — After harvesting it is necessary to remove the tops
with a small part of the neck of the beet. The object of remov-
ing this portion is to prevent the large accumulation of mineral
matter at the top from entering the factory, as it interferes with
the crystallization of the sugar. This work in done in Europe
as a rule by women and children. In the United States foreign
labor is gradually replacing the custom of sending whole families
into the field during the harvesting season.
Washing. — On entering the factory the beets are first washed
to remove adhering soil, sand and pebbles. This work is accom-
plished in long troughs, each containing a revolving shaft which
carries pins set in the form of a screw. These push the beets
along the trough against a stream of water, and the rubbing
against one another loosens the dirt which is carried away by
the water.
Extraction of the Juice. — In considering the method of extrac-
tion of the juice from the beet the composition plays an impor-
tant part. In the beginning of this industry the crushing process
was used similar to that employed with the sugar cane, but was
I50 FOOD INDUSTRIES
found so unsatisfactory that it has been almost entirely replaced
by the diffusion process.
Water
Fiber, etc
Sucrose
Invert sugar
Mineral matter
Nitrogenous matter.
Germs acids, etc • . .
Wax, fat, etc
Composition of the Composition of the
sugar cane sugar beet
67-75%
75-85
10-15
4-6
n-16
12-16
Q.5-I-5
0.0-0.3
0.5-1.0
0.8-1.5
0.4-0.6
I-5-2-5
0.2-0.5
0.4-0.8
0.4
0.2
A comparison of these two important sugar yielding materials
will reveal marked differences in composition, which make neces-
sary the employment of different processes for the extraction of
the sugar. The cane which contains a relatively large proportion
of fibrous material yields very readily to crushing by rollers,
while the beet containing more water and less fiber is reduced
to a pulpy mass very difficult to handle. It may also be noted
that the beet contains more nitrogenous and mineral matter and
less invert sugar than the cane.
Slicing. — In order to obtain the best results with the diffusion
method the beets are sliced into thin pieces by a machine con-
taining revolving knives. These are known as chips in English,
corsettes in French and schnitzel in German.
The chips after being weighed are run into vessels in which a
current of warm water displaces the juice in the beet by the
process of osmosis. Foreign matter which is colloidal cannot
pass through the cell walls of the beet; the sugar being crystal-
line, however, passes out into the water.
The Diffusion Battery. — The vessels in which the sugar is
extracted are known as diffusion batteries (Fig. 45). They
are usually arranged in a series of 10-12 upright iron cylinders
called cells which are connected by pipes, the outlet from the top
of one cell passing downward into the bottom of the next, and
so on through the entire series. The cells can be placed in a
row or in a circular position.
FOOD INDUSTRIES
151
When ready for operation the chips are fed by means of a
swinging trough into the cells through a manhole at the top, and
warm water about 140 F. is passed through the system. The
circulating liquid remains about twenty minutes in each cell,
removes sugar from the beet chips and is passed to the next cell.
Heaters or "juice warmers" are placed between the cells to again
raise the liquid to the desired temperature. As the juice passes
Fig. 45. — The Circular Diffusion Battery. (Courtesy of Sugar, Chicago, 111.)
from battery to battery it grows stronger in sugar content. When
it has become sufficiently concentrated it is sent to the defecating
room and fresh water is passed through the batteries. The
process is continued until practically all the sugar has been re-
moved from the beet chips. There is rarely more than 0.5 per
cent, loss of sugar with this method of extraction.
During the sugar season the battery is constantly in use. Being
arranged in series it is possible to circulate liquid through from
152 FOOD INDUSTRIES
8 to 10 cells while two are being emptied and refilled with fresh
chips.
Clarification of the Juice. — The sugar solution known as "the
diffusion juice" is almost as black as ink as it comes from the
batteries, and must therefore be clarified. This is usually accom-
plished by adding an excess of lime, heating, and treating with
C0 2 . The lime is converted into the carbonate form and in pre-
cipitating carries down much of the impurities which are re-
moved by a filter press. The process is usually repeated two or
three times or until the liquid is clear. The first carbonation is
stopped when the greater part of the lime has been precipitated,
but while there is still about 0.1 per cent, of lime in solution.
The impurities precipitated with the carbonate of lime are insol-
uble in an alkaline solution, but redissolve in a neutral solution.
After the first carbonation the juice is filter-pressed to remove
the precipitated carbonate of lime and impurities, and then car-
bonated a second time to precipitate most of the remaining lime,
this time to an alkalinity of 0.02 0^0.03 per cent. The second
filtration is usually through gravity filters where only a very
gentle pressure is applied.
The clear juice is then concentrated in vacuum and separated
by the centrifuge into molasses and raw beet sugar, the processes
being similar to those used for cane sugar.
Raw beet sugar contains substances of decidedly unpleasant
odor and taste, due to nitrogenous matter and mineral salts being
taken up from the soil by the roots of the beet. It must there-
fore always be refined even when modern machinery and up-to-
date methods have been used. The molasses obtained can be
worked over until most of the sucrose has been obtained. It is
very impure, however, from mineral salts and nitrogenous com-
pounds which give it so disagreeable an odor and taste that it
is never fit for table use.
REFINING OF RAW SUGAR.
Raw sugars with the exception of maple are now refined be-
fore being placed on the market. The refining of sugar was not
practiced until about 500 A. D. It first appeared in Mesopotamia
FOOD INDUSTRIES 153
and gradually traveled westward, refineries being erected in many
of the European countries in the 15th and 16th centuries. As
early as 1689 there was a refinery in New York City which is
still the center of this industry in the Western World. This in-
dustry has gradually grown until public taste now demands a pure
white sugar. As before stated, so far as the beet sugar is con-
cerned, refining is a necessity since the raw product has a disa-
greeable odor and taste. Cane sugar, however, possesses in the
raw state a more fragant odor and agreeable taste than in the
refined product.
Refining sugar is in theory a simpler process than the prepara-
tion of the raw product, but it requires great care and attention
to details. Experience has shown that it can only be done eco-
nomically in very large establishments, which are usually located
on a navigable river, where the cargoes can be readily received
and unloaded. Refineries are built many stories high so as to
take advantage of gravity in passing the solution from one pro-
cess to another. An abundant water supply is also a necessity.
The process consists essentially in dissolving the crude material,
separating the impurities and recrystallizing the sugar.
Outline; of the; Refining Process. —
Raw sugar washed.
Centrifuged j was |l s / ru P-
& ( washed raw sugar.
Washed raw sugar melted.
Defecated.
Filtered through bags | J^^ °"
Iyiquor bone-blacked.
Boiled down in vacuum.
Centrifuged ] ( yellow sugar.
Washing. — The raw sugar after being weighed is mixed with
a low grade sugar solution. This process assists in removing
soluble impurities. From the mixing tank the magma of raw
sugar and syrup is fed into a centrifuge which is rapidly rotated.
154
FOOD INDUSTRIES
The purified raw sugar remains on the sides of the basket and the
syrup containing most of the coloring matter, dirt, glucose and
gum passes through the perforations. The purified raw sugar is
left 99-99^ per cent. pure.
The Melter. — The washed raw sugar is dissolved in a melting
tank which contains steam coils and a revolving arm for stirring.
When the density of the liquid is about 30 Be., it is pumped into
defecators or "blow-ups."
Fig. 46. — Filter Bags.
Defecators. — Here the solution is treated for the removal of
such impurities as organic acid and fine suspended matter. Dif-
ferent clarifying agents can be employed, such as alum or blood
albumin. To a large extent now a treatment with calcium acid
phosphate or phosphoric acid and milk of lime is used. The
mixture is heated and agitated for about twenty minutes. Soon
a flocculent precipitate separates, carrying with it suspended
matter and some of the coloring.
Filtration. — The impurities are removed by a mechanical filtra-
tion through cotton-twill bags enclosed in coarse, strong netting
sheaths. They are 6-7 feet long and 5-6 inches in diameter. The
open end is tied tightly around a metallic nipple by which the
bag is suspended (Fig. 46). The first run of liquor is often
muddy and must be refiltered. When the filter bags have become
exhausted they are rinsed in several waters. The mud washed
FOOD INDUSTRIES 155
out contains about 20 per cent, of sugar part of which can be
recovered.
Bone-black Filters. — These filters are large cylindrical iron
tanks filled with bone-black, a material obtained by the charring
of bones and reducing them to a granular form by a crushing
process. Bone-black has the power of decolorizing. About one
pound is used to one pound of sugar. In passing through these
filters the sugar solution loses most of its color, a small amount
of ash and organic impurities. It is collected in storage tanks ac-
cording to its color and purity. The char in time loses the power
of removing color and must be revivified by being washed,
drained, dried, put in a kiln and highly heated to expel organic
impurities.
Vacuum Pan. — The decolorized sugar solution passes to the
vacuum pan and is then boiled to grain.
Centrifugal. — After cooling, the separation of the sugar and
syrup is accomplished by means of centrifugal force. At this
stage blue water is sometimes used to give a white appearance
to the sugar.
The sugar is dried and passed through screens to separate it
into grades. It is bagged or barreled to appear on the market
as granulated sugar.
Sugars are coarse grain or fine grain according to the length
of time allowed in crystallizing. When the operation is slow,
the crystals are large; rapid crystallization yields small crystals,
Block sugar may be made in two ways.
I. The boiled mass from the vacuum pan containing syrup '
and crystals of sugar may be drained into conical moulds and
allowed to stand for about two weeks. It is occasionally washed
by means of a pure sugar solution. The uncrystallized sugar
slowly drains off through a small hole opened at the point of
the cone. The dried sugar is then cut into cubes. A modified
form of this process, which greatly shortens the time, is now
being used in Europe and to a slight extent in America. By
centrifugal force the cones can be freed in a few minutes from
the syrup and the sugar after drying can be cut into blocks.
156 FOOD INDUSTRIES
II. Granulated sugar while still moist can be pressed into
blocks by an ingenious machine, and gently dried in an oven.
Powdered Sugar. — Granulated sugar can be reduced to a pow-
der. When very finely ground it is placed upon the market as
confectioner's sugar.
Yellow Sugar. — The syrup obtained as one of the final products
in the refining process contains much sugar and can be worked
over for a second sugar and second syrup. Sugar obtained by
the treatment of syrups usually appears on the market as light
brown sugar ; darker colors are largely low grade sugars.
Utilization of the By-Products. — Wherever primitive methods
for the extraction of cane sugar are used little thought is given
to the by-products. This is not true, however, in progressive
countries where modern machinery and methods are employed.
Under such conditions the utilization of waste matter is being
carefully considered. Such material is obtained as follows: 1st,
refuse of the beet and cane ; 2nd, impurities removed in the clari-
fying processes ; 3rd, molasses. The beet tops make an excellent
food for cattle. They may be dried in the sun or with mechan-
ical means or they may be converted into ensilage. The beet
pulp remaining in the diffusion batteries, may also be utilized
as cattle food in the form of wet pulp where it can be used im-
mediately, in the dried state, or after conversion into ensilage.
In the cane sugar industry the leafy portion of the cane top is
fed to animals, while the bagasse has been utilized mainly, in
the past, for fuel purposes. In recent years it has been discov-
ered than an excellent quality of paper may be manufactured
from bagasse. While very little is being done along that line at
present the development of paper manufacture in connection
with this industry, may prove of great importance.
In both the cane and beet sugar industry the filter cakes ob-
tained during the clarifying processes are rich in mineral matter
and may be successfully used as fertilizer.
Molasses constitutes the most valuable by-product. As it
contains a large percentage of sugar which cannot be crystallized
with ordinary methods, chemical means are being devised for
FOOD INDUSTRIES 1 57
its extraction. Beet sugar molasses contains 50 per cent, of su-
crose. By treatment with calcium, strontium or barium hydrox-
ides., it is possible to precipitate the sucrose as insoluble saccharate
which after filtration may be decomposed and recovered as su-
crose. Beet sugar molasses being rich in nitrogenous and min-
eral constituents may be utilized for fertilizing material with
certain kinds of soil. It is also useful as a cattle food and for
fuel purposes.
Molasses from the cane industry may be used as a table syrup
or for feeding cattle after being mixed with bagasse or such
material as bran meal or similar products. In both the beet and
cane sugar industries the molasses is used largely for the manu-
facture of rum and alcohol. Lesser products obtained through
fermentation of cane sugar molasses are acetic, butyric, capry-
lic and other fatty acids. Many valuable by-products of a nit-
rogenous nature may also be obtained from beet sugar molasses.
Maple Sugar. — A sugar and syrup highly prized for confec-
tionery and table use can be obtained from the maple tree. In
the United States they are made almost entirely in Vermont,
New York, Ohio and Indiana. The process is comparatively
simple. In the spring when the sap begins to run the trees are
bored and the sap escapes into receptacles. It is usually evap-
orated in open kettles and allowed to crystallize. The sugar is
sold in the raw state, as the delicate flavor so much desired is
lost in refining processes.
Date Palm Sugar. — In India the date palm yields a low grade
crude sugar known as "jaggary." Much of this sugar is shipped
to England for refining.
Sorghum. — The sorghum cane belongs to a family of grasses
resembling the sugar cane. It has been known and valued in
China for many centuries. Many attempts have been made in
this country in recent years to extract sugar from the sorghum
but without great success. The juice contains dextrin bodies
which prevent crystallization of part of the sugar. It is used
largely, however, for the production of syrup. The stalks can
be utilized for the manufacture of coarse wrapping paper and
the seeds for fodder.
158 FOOD INDUSTRIES
Cane Syrup. — Cane syrup is prepared largely in small mills in
our own Southern States by the use of primitive methods. The
juice of the sugar cane is extracted, clarified, partly inverted and
evaporated until 25-30 per cent, of the water remains which is
sufficient to prevent the crystallization of the sugar.
Adulteration of Sugar. — With the exception of pulverized sugar
very little adulteration has been found 'in the United States on
account of the cheapness of the product. Sugar sold in the pow-
dered form, however, has been adulterated from time to time
with flour, glucose, chalk, silica and gypsum.
CHAPTER XI.
FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND NUTS.
Among the most important commercial food products of the
world are found fruits and vegetables. Whenever obtainable
wild varieties of fruit seem to have been among the earliest foods
used by primitive man and it cannot be told now with any degree
of certainty when their cultivation was started. So long a time
has elapsed, however, that with a few exceptions the cultivated
products of to-day bear little resemblance to the very small,
woody, inferior fruits of the wild parent. Whether savage or
civilized every nation has also cultivated plants for use as vege-
tables and those that are most highly prized are the result of
long cultivation, the origin of most being lost in antiquity.
Importance in the Diet. — In temperate climates fruits have
been used largely on account of the pleasant flavor and the custom
has long prevailed to look upon them more as an agreeable addi-
tion to the diet rather than as staple food. It has been left to
modern science to show the important part that fruit and vege-
table acids and mineral salts, especially those containing lime,
phosphorus and iron, play in maintaining the chemical equilib-
rium of the body. Fruits and vegetables supply the organism
with much of the necessary mineral matter in an acceptable form.
For percentages of individual ash constituents in the edible por-
tion of important fruits and vegetables see Sherman's "Food
Products," pages 347-9. The peculiar type acids present produce
by combustion bicarbonates which assist in maintaining the alka-
linity of the blood, thus having the tendency to correct the ill
effects of a diet high in protein.
With certain exceptions fruits are mildly laxative due to cer-
tain elements which they contain and to the cellulose which acts
as a diluent and irritant to the intestinal tract. Many of the
ordinary foods are too concentrated ; they lack bulk. This defi-
ciency can readily be supplied by fibrous fruits and vegetables,
such as primes, figs, apples, berries, lettuce, spinach, corn, beets,
squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. Most of these can be con-
l6o FOOD INDUSTRIES
sumed either in the raw or cooked condition. According to
recent investigation some raw or uncooked foods, notably lettuce,
tomatoes, celery, nuts and similar products appear to be essential
in the diet since certain small components known as vitamins are
destroyed during the cooking and canning processes. While not
as yet well understood it is now believed that vitamins are essen-
tial to health and their absence may be the cause of certain dis-
eases, for example, scurvy and beri-beri.
Fisher and Fisk* recommend that the diet in middle life should
decrease in the consumption of meat and all flesh foods as age
advances, and that fruits and vegetables, especially those of bulky
character and low food value be increased.
From an economic standpoint fruits and vegetables are reason-
ably cheap sources of energy when compared with many other-
foods. Their agreeable flavor, great variety, comparatively low
cost, composition and importance in maintaing the chemical
equilibrium of the body place them therefore, among our staple
foods, rather than as pleasant accessories in the diet.
Definition and Classification. — To define the terms fruits and
.vegetables with any degree of accuracy seems almost an impos-
sibility. An attempt has been made to differentiate between
these two food products by the acid and sugar content, classify-
ing those that contain both as fruits, all others as vegetables. On
the whole that arrangement does not appear to be as satisfactory
as the distinction current at the present day which depends
largely on the usage. As a general custom vegetables are con-
sumed together with meats, while those products which precede
or follow the meal and form a separate course are known as
fruits. It is apparent from these customs that fruits are largely
considered as appetizers and stimulants of digestion.
Fruits are generally divided into three classes: ist, stone, which
include peaches, plums, cherries and apricots ; 2nd, seed, such as
apples, pears, grapes, oranges, lemons and kindred fruit; 3rd,
small, in which berries of all varieties are placed. The principal
exceptions to these divisions are melons, cucumbers and tomatoes
* How to l,ive, by Fisher and Fisk.
FOOD INDUSTRIES l6l
which are more nearly allied to what are popularly known as
vegetables.
Vegetables are usually classed as follows : tubers, represented
by the potato ; roots, such as turnips, carrots and beets ; leaves, of
which spinach and lettuce are the most important; flowers, which
include such foods as cauliflower and Brussels sprouts; stalks,
such as celery and rhubarb; shoots, of which asparagus is the
most important.
Composition. — The composition of a majority of ripe fresh
fruit reveals a large proportion of water, a fair percentage of
carbohydrates, a small amount of protein, organic acids, essential
oils, ethereal salts and mineral matter. On account of the high
water content in many varieties it has been suggested that fruits
containing 80 per cent, or more be classed as "flavor fruits." This
class would include many of the common fruits, such as apples,
pears, peaches, plums, oranges and most berries. Fruits with less
than 80 per cent, would be known as "food fruits" and would in-
clude the banana, fresh figs and grapes. In most of the fruits
and fruit products the carbohydrates are the food constituents
most abundantly represented. Cellulose always appears giving
stability to the structure. Pectose bodies are represented in a
great number of fruits and vegetables, for example, green grapes,
cranberries, currents and white turnips, the quantity growing
smaller as the product reaches the period of ripeness. They give
to fruit in the presence of acids the property of forming jelly.
Other carbohydrates, such as cane sugar, invert sugar which in-
cludes glucose and fructose, and starch occur in varying propor-
tions. The flavor of fruit is due partly to organic acids which
include malic, tartaric and citric. These acids are found in
various proportions and frequently occur as acid salts of potas-
sium, sodium o Fruit Products. — Various methods of preserving fruits and
vegetables, for instance drying, preserving and canning are
treated under the heading of Preservation of Foods and the by-
products of fruits, such as the preparation of wines and cider
under Fermentation Industries.
Candied Fruit. — A wide variety of fruits are now being can-
died or crystallized and should belong properly to the class of
confectionery. The process used in Portugal, which is one of the
most important producing countries, consists in repeatedly boil-
ing the unripe fruit in strong syrup, draining after each operation
and eventually drying the product on trays in the open air. An-
other method frequently employed is boiling the unripe fruit
1 66 FOOD INDUSTRIES
until tender, then suspending it in strong syrup, kept concen-
trated by occasional evaporation, until the fruit has become al-
most transparent. It is next placed in drying rooms until the
syrup has crystallized.
Jellies, Jams, Marmalades and Fruit Butters. — The preserva-
tion of fruits, fruit juices and fruit pulp with sugar has grown
to be an important industry in the United States. Jellies are
sweetened products obtained by boiling fresh almost ripe fruit or
berries in sugar syrup, straining while hot and allowing the clear
liquid to cool and solidify. The solid fruit residue may be boiled
for some time with additional sugar and water yielding an inferior
type of jam. As a rule jam is prepared by reducing the entire
fruit to a pulp and cooking in a sugar syrup. Fruit butters are
less sweet than jams and usually have the addition of spice or
cider. Marmalades are made by boiling the pulp or juice of
thick-rind fruits, such as the orange, grapefruit or komquat and
portions of their rind with sugar. Apple pulp is frequently
added to give the peculiar transparent, jelly-like consistency.
NUTSl
Nuts as they appear in the market ready for use are in reality
the pits of a variety of pulpy inedible fruits yielded by a large
number of deciduous trees. It is the custom to dry and remove
the pulpy envelope before storage and marketing. The impor-
tation of nuts is still important commercially although many of
these varieties which were formerly grown exclusively in foreign
countries are now being successfully cultivated in many parts of
the United States. California especially raises big crops of
walnuts and almonds while Louisiana and Texas are noted for
pecans. Except for a few varieties, which include almonds, Italian
chestnuts and the English walnut, imported nuts are largely
products of forest trees. On account of the tough and fibrous
nature of the shell nuts survive rough handling in transportation
in excellent condition, but it is a mistake to hold the opinion that
they need not be protected from the attack of mold, insects and
worms by suitable storage conditions. They can be safely car-
ried through the winter if held in a cool, dry place, but cold
FOOD INDUSTRIES 167
storage at a temperature just above freezing is desirable during
the summer months.
Composition. — The composition of the edible portion of nuts
is evidently not understood by the average consumer. Until com-
paratively recent years they have been considered in our coun-
try merely as a luxury or something to be eaten at odd times, but
fortunately a better appreciation of their food value appears to
be gradually increasing. As a result of research work carried
on at the California, Maine and Iowa Agricultural Experiment
Stations a table has been published giving the average composi-
tion of nuts and nut products.* The water content is usually low
so nuts must be considered as concentrated food. With the ex-
ception of chestnuts which contain notable proportions of starch
all nuts consist largely of peculiar fats or oils usually of the
drying class, protein and cellulose. Rich in oil are the pecans,
Brazil nuts, butternuts, filberts, hickory and walnuts, all contain-
ing from 60-70 per cent. fat. In general the nuts are also high
in protein surpassing most ordinary animal and vegetable foods
in this respect. Varieties which contain over 20 per cent, include
peanuts, butternuts, almonds, beechnuts and pistachio. Starch
as a rule occurs in small amounts with the exception of chest-
nuts, which contain 73 per cent, and beechnuts, pinenuts and
peanuts which have about 18 per cent. The agreeable flavor and
odor of many nuts are due largely to harmless compounds of the
glucoside class for example amygdalin of the almond.
Digestibility. — On account of the high fat and protein content
nuts are more desirable as the base of a meal rather than as the
dessert. Excessive use of nuts at improper times has established
for them a reputation of indigestibility which they do not deserve.
When eaten in a reasonable manner they yield very satisfactory
results but do not entirely replace animal protein. The roasting
of chestnuts and other starch-containing forms tends to make
them more digestible. The practice of salting almonds and vari-
ous other nuts has no influence on their digestibility but modifies
the taste making the large proportion of fat more acceptible to
the palate.
* Farmer's Bulletin No. 332. Nuts and their Use as Food.
l68 FOOD INDUSTRIES
Nut Products. — In foreign lands nut flours and meals are used
in large quantities for preparing bread and cake but as yet they
have found little favor in the United States. In general they
are prepared from the ordinary edible nuts by blanching, thor-
oughly drying and grinding. Nut oils, particularly that of the
walnut, beechnut and peanut are highly prized as salad oils in
some parts of Europe. South America uses Brazil nut oil for
table purposes. Cocoanut oil is used largely in the tropics and
in the United States not only for culinary purposes but on a large
scale for technical applications. Recently nut pastes have come
upon our market and on account of their agreeable taste and
nutritive qualities are gaining rapidly in favor. Of these pea-
nut butter is the best known. It is prepared by reducing the
clean, roasted nuts to a paste by grinding. Salt and oil may or
may not be added. On account of the high fat content they are
apt to become rancid so are usually marketed in small jars.
CHAPTER XII.
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.
Alcoholic beverages may be classified as follows :
f Beer.
i Ale
Malted fermented <{ -r, 1
j Porter.
L Stout.
Malted distilled
be essential. Unfortunately cold storage poultry is generally
thawed before it is offered for sale ; it is far safer for the house-
wife to buy such products in the frozen condition. When poul-
try is plucked it is very much easier to maintain constant tem-
perature conditions, feathers are also apt to gather moisture and
dirt. The reason why game is always offered for sale in the
unplucked condition is due to the fact that the plumage is very
attractive and adds considerably to the appearance of the carcass.
In some communities local authorities require that poultry should
be stored in the drawn condition but where this custom prevails
special care must be taken that the cut surfaces are not contamin-
ated. On the other hand undrawn poultry can be kept in storage
for several months without danger of intestinal contamination.
In fact the objection to undrawn poultry seems to be purely
ethical but in any case the duration of the storage period should
not be excessively extended.
The nutritive value of poultry bears a close resemblance to
other flesh foods, ducks and geese being rather more fatty than
chickens and turkeys. The composition of the white and dark
meat shows a difference in the coloring matter in the dark which
also contains a trifle more fat and considerable more extractives.
In plucked poultry the waste is less than in any other form of
220 FOOD INDUSTRIES
flesh foods except cuts of lean meat. The waste is largely dimin-
ished by the custom of utilizing the bony part and the adhering
tissue for making extracts or soup.
EGGS.
Chief among the animal foods used throughout the world are
eggs. In most countries hens' eggs are used to the largest extent
although those of other domesticated birds, such as ducks, geese,
turkeys and guinea-hens, are frequently found on the market.
The use of eggs is much more common in Europe and the Orient
than in the United States although the custom is gradually grow-
ing in our country. As an industry egg production is on a very
much firmer basis abroad, some countries furnishing enormous
quantities of eggs for export to less favored localities. The
custom here is to raise eggs on small farms near the section where
they are to be consumed, although the industry has reached large
proportions in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Tennessee,
Texas, Missouri and Minnesota. The uncertain quality and con-
dition of eggs particularly the lack of uniformity is due to a
deficiency in co-operation and a want of satisfactory standards.
The market is such at the present time that only a distinction is
made between fresh eggs and those which have been held in cold
storage. If the eggs have been properly tested before being
placed in storage and have not been kept in this condition for too
long a period they are more reliable than the so-called fresh eggs
of the open market. The practice of stamping the shell is not
necessarily a protection since there is no penalty for falsifying
dates.
The active life of the hen is about a year during which time
it is supposed to produce two hundred eggs. The chief difficulty
is that the supply is largest during the warmer period of the year
and may be entirely suspended or erratic during the cold season.
Improper or insufficient feeding also influences egg production.
Experiments have been carried on to ascertain the best conditions
for increasing and averaging the yield. Hens lay best during
March, April, May and June, a season when the ground has
thawed and worms and insect life begin to appear. This gives
FOOD INDUSTRIES 221
them naturally a supply of food. The great loss during trans-
portation is largely due to poor packing and defective shells which
have not sufficiently developed on account of lack of lime in the
food.
Physical Structure. — While the eggs of the wild birds vary
greatly in color, tint, and plain or mottled appearance, those of the
hen are either brown or white. Through a mistaken idea the
difference in hens' eggs has greatly affected the market value,
white eggs selling for a higher price in some localities, while other
markets give the preference to the brown varieties. Examinations
have been carried on at the New York State, Michigan and Cali-
fornia Experiment Stations to determine their relative nutritive
value. After much experimentation, the conclusion drawn was
that there is no basis of fact for such popular belief. "Eggs of
one breed whatever the color of the shells, are as nutritious as
those of another, provided they are of the same size and the
fowls are equally well fed."
Composition of the Shell. — The shell or protective coating of the
egg is very largely composed of mineral matter. According to
Dr. Langworthy 93.7 per cent, is calcium carbonate while mag-
nesium carbonate and calcium phosphate also appear in small
amounts. Organic matter is present only to the extent of 4.2
per cent.
When viewed through a magnifying glass the shell is shown
to be very porous in its nature. This allows the evaporation of
water and results in the gradual loss in weight of the egg. The
decrease in specific gravity therefore furnishes a very satisfac-
tory means of judging the freshness of an egg. Brine may be
prepared by dissolving 2 ounces of salt in 1 pint of water. A
perfectly fresh egg will sink to the bottom in this solution. Ac-
cording to the experiments of Siebel, "An egg one day old will
sink below the surface, but not to the bottom, when over three
days old it will float on the surface, the amount of shell exposed
increasing with the age."
In marketing eggs, the freshness is usually told by a process
called "candling." In a dark room, an egg is held between the
eye and an artificial light; a fresh egg appears unclouded, homo-
222 FOOD INDUSTRIES
geneous and translucent; a stale egg is cloudy and frequently
contains dark spots ; a rotten egg appears dark colored. A sim-
ple housewife's test may also be made by shaking an egg held
near the ear. The contents of the egg should not move. If a
slight movement can be detected it is somewhat stale ; if it
rattles the egg is spoiled.
Methods of Preservation. — The porous condition of the shell
is to a great extent responsible for the^ rapid deterioration of eggs.
Bacteria can readily enter and bring about such changes as to
make the article unfit for human consumption in a comparatively
short time.
In early days eggs were always marketed near the source of
supply but modern conditions frequently require the transporta-
tion for long distances. On account of hens laying more plenti-
fully in the spring it is also necessary, in order to secure an even
distribution throughout the year, to store eggs for use during the
fall and winter months. These facts have led to the study of the
best methods of preservation. Cold storage has been found most
effective a temperature near the freezing point being usually
employed.
In order to prevent bacteria from entering, eggs are sometimes
coated with a non-porous substance. The most efficient of these
has been found to be a 10 per cent, solution of sodium silicate
(water-glass). The egg should be carefully wiped with a damp
cloth, and either coated or placed in a jar containing the water-
glass as quickly after it has been laid as possible.
Eggs may also be preserved by the process of drying. Desic-
cation may be accomplished by spreading the egg in a thin film
on a dry surface, or by passing the product under pressure
through drying chambers. Where fresh eggs have been used,
and where the process of manufacture is such as to make the
product palatable and care has been given to the storage, such
a product is wholesome and may be held for a reasonable length
of time. Dried eggs are used largely by bakers, in camps and
on long expeditions where fresh eggs are not available.
Composition of an Egg'. — As the contents of an egg are in-
tended by nature to furnish the sole nutrition of the young chick
FOOD INDUSTRIES
223
during the process of development, we may expect to find
among its constituents, all the elements required for building pur-,
poses. In this way it bears a strong resemblance to milk both
being a perfect food for the animal for which it is intended.
Water, protein, fat and mineral matter are well represented, while
carbohydrate is present only in a small amount. The nutritive
parts of the white are chiefly protein, largely in the form of al-
bumins, and a small amount of mineral matter. Only traces of
fat are present. The yolk is rich in fat, protein and mineral mat-
ter. The fat occurs in the form of an emulsion, held in suspen-
sion by vitellin, a phosphoprotein resembling the caseinogen of
milk. Eggs are also rich in sulphur, phosphorus and such ele-
ments as calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron in the form of
salts. Another important food constituent present in the yolk is
lecithin a compound which furnishes the body with phosphorus
in a form which can be readily assimilated. The composition of
the white and yolk given by Langworthy is as follows :
Water
Protein
Fat
Carbohydrate
49-5
15-7
33-3
CHAPTER XVI.
THE PACKING HOUSE.
Historical.- — The packing industry as it exists to-day was
founded about thirty years ago, although packing in a very prim-
itive way, has been practiced since the middle of the 18th cen-
tury. Starting in the eastern United States, it spread westward
and in time concentrated in centers near the source of supply
of the raw material, thus saving the cost of freight on the live
animal from the ranch to the market. So, naturally, the important
commercial and railroad cities nearest the large grazing areas of
the west and southwest Chicago, Kansas City, St. Louis, Omaha,
St. Joseph, Indianapolis, Fort Worth and others have become the
largest packing house centers. Their proximity to the corn belt
and their water or rail shipping facilities have also been large
factors in the development of the packing industry.
The growth of this business has been very rapid. Although
of comparatively recent origin it now ranks as one of the lead-
ing industries of the United States. It is said to be the largest
and most important industry which is strictly American in its
conception and development. From the States it is rapidly
spreading to most of the new countries of the world.
Growth and Breadth of the Industry. — Important factors lead-
ing to the rapid growth of the packing business have been arti-
ficial refrigeration, concentration and the utilization of by-pro-
ducts.
In former times packing could only be carried on during the
winter months, as meat cannot be kept in good condition for any
length of time after slaughtering, unless the temperature is kept
low. The introduction of artificial refrigeration has now made
it possible to carry on the business throughout the year. Not
only has refrigeration become essential in the packing house, but
its use during transportation has regulated the supply of meat at
all seasons.
Where animals were driven or shipped to the place of consump-
tion and slaughtered for local demand, the numbers were neces-
FOOD INDUSTRIES 225
sarily very small and little thought was given to the by-products.
The fresh beef, the hide, the horns and the tallow were the only
products used; the remainder was thrown away. This involved
a great waste of valuable material. When the packing business
became concentrated the large amount of waste matter attracted
attention. This resulted in the conversion of animal products
that were not fitted for food or for manufacturing purposes into
fertilizing material. The fertilizer department once established
soon led to the study of the utilization of all by-products. As-
sisted by Applied Chemistry, means were in time discovered by
which every available part of the animal could be converted into
a marketable product. The value of using waste matter which
formerly had been an expense to remove is enormous. It has
been greatly responsible for the rapid growth and development
of the industry.
The large modern packing houses consist of many departments,
where frequently the by-products are elaborated to the finished
articles, so that they go direct to the consumer from the packer;
thus we find the high grades of fat being manufactured into
butterine in one department, lower grades into soap in another
department. The meat canning industry and the manufacture
of products, such as beef-extracts, pepsin, sausages, gelatin, glue,
lard, sheep skins, feathers and many articles too numerous to
mention, are now frequently part of the packing industry.
Processes in the Packing House. — Inspection and Slaughtering.
On the arrival of cattle, sheep or swine at the stockyards, an
inspection is made by a representative of the government and
where pathogenic conditions are suspected, the animal is seg-
regated and handled separately. A post-mortem inspection is
also made on all animals and on all parts of animals, to be utilized
as food (Fig. 54).
As a rule animals found to be healthy are not slaughtered until
the day after their arrival at the packing house, thus avoid-
ing any abnormal conditions as over excitement and fatigue.
After slaughtering they are bled and the hide, head, feet and
internal organs are removed. They are then scrubbed and
washed in each part, after which they are removed to the cooler,
15
226 FOOD INDUSTRIES
where they hang until ready for shipment or until they are sent
to the cutting room for curing, sausage making or canning.
Beef are hung far enough apart to admit free circulation of
air and the temperature is dropped as quickly as possible to
40°-45° F. where it is maintained for twelve hours, after which
it is gradually dropped to 34° -35 F. The temperature is seldom
allowed to fall to the freezing point.
Fig. 54. — Beef Viscera Inspection. (Courtesy of Armour & Co., Chicago, 111.)
Hides, Pelts and Bristles. — As the hide of beef constitutes the
most valuable by-product, great care is given to the handling
and curing, preparatory to delivery to the tanner. It is removed
from the freshly killed animals by skilful workmen, freed from
adhering flesh and fat and quickly cooled. A combination of
fine salt and rock salt which has been crushed and screened, is
FOOD INDUSTRIES 227
spread over each hide and they are piled one above the other.
During the curing process which lasts for 25-30 days, more or
less shrinkage takes place, after which the excess of salt is re-
moved and they are prepared for shipment.
The pelts of sheep are also removed after slaughter. When
not disposed of while fresh, they are cured by salting and some-
times treated so that the wool can be easily removed from the
skin.
After the slaughter and scalding of swine, the bristles are taken
from the back and hams and are cured first by drying, either in
the sun or with artificial heat and then by salting. They are
used for the manufacture of cheap brushes. At the present
time the best bristles are being obtained from Russia and China.
Fat. — The second important by-product is fat, which is ex-
tensively used for the manufacture of edible products and many
useful articles. From the bullock three grades of fat are ob-
tained. The first grade yields oleo stock from which by further
treatment, oleo oil and stearin are obtained. The latter prod-
uct is largely used in the preparation of compound lard. Oleo
stock is frequently called butter-fat as oleo oil is one of the chief
constituents of butterine. Oleo oil may be sent to a separate de-
partment of the packing house to be made into artificial butter,
or as raw material, it may be sold to the manufacturer of butter-
ine. For this purpose, large quantities are shipped abroad, the
greater part going to Holland from which place it is distributed
to other European countries.
A high grade of fat may also be rendered for edible tallow.
This was the type fat used originally in the manufacture of oleo-
margarine. For the manufacture of artificial butter see Chapter
XIV. A second grade of fat is rendered for ordinary tallow
which may be further separated into tallow oil and tallow stearin.
Several grades of tallow are known. They may be used in soap
making, candle manufacture and in the preparation of glycerin,
oleic and stearic acids. Tallow may be utilized for lubricating
purposes, being generally compounded with other material.
From the sheep, tallow may also be obtained. It is hard and
white in appearance and is known as mutton tallow.
228
FOOD INDUSTRIES
One of the most important factors in the packing house is the
rendering of the fat from hogs. Several grades prepared by
different processes are placed upon the market, known as kettle
rendered lard, prime steam lard, refined lard and compound lard.
The last named product is a substitute for lard and consists
largely of cotton-seed oil, oleo stearin and tallow. Kettle-ren-
dered lard is the highest grade of household lard. It is generally
Fig- 55- —Lard Boiling. (Courtesy of Armour & Co., Chicago. 111.)
supposed to be made entirely from leaf lard, but only two-thirds
leaf lard is used as a rule, the remaining amount being fat taken
from the back. Neutral lard is made principally from leaf lard
but by a more complex process (Fig. 55).
The Feet. — From the feet of slaughtered animals a valuable
oil known as neats-foot oil may be obtained. The bones are
sawed, separated from the hoofs,- washed to free them from
blood and subjected to live steam. During this process, the bones
FOOD INDUSTRIES 229
fall apart and the oil separates. The bones may be ground into
meal and the liquid containing dissolved protein may be utilized
for the manufacture of glue. The oil which is drawn off is
refined and used largely for leather dressing.
Bone Products. — From the bones of the head and feet many
useful products may be obtained. One of the most valuable is
bone-black, which is largely used in the industries for decoloriz-
ing, as in the bleaching of sugar, glucose and similar products.
A black pigment may be secured also, and used as a pigment for
paints and shoe blackings. Some bones are ground and used for
fertilizing purposes while others are worked up into knife handles,
buttons, combs, fans and many similar articles.
Tankage. — Tankage is the name given to the residue which
remains in the tanks where meat scraps have been rendered to
extract the fat. In former years it was always considered waste
material and was thrown away. The operation consists in
boiling down the meat scraps, under pressure in a closed tank
or "digester," for several hours. After all the parts are thor-
oughly disintegrated from the effect of the high temperature, the
fatty matter separates from the lean and can be withdrawn
through outlet pipes and by the process of skimming. The ma-
terial which remains in the vats is passed through filter cloth
and pressed, until most of the water and any remaining fat
are removed. It is then dried, screened, and used as fertilizer
base. The commercial value depends on the amount of ammonia
and bone-phosphate which it contains. As the tank water is very
rich in material which contains ammonia, it is concentrated to a
syrupy consistency in a vacuum pan, mixed with copperas and
dried. It is known as "concentrated tankage" and is used for
mixing with low grade tankage to increase the percentage of
ammonia.
Blood. — The blood which flows from the slaughtered animals
is conducted through drains to large vats or receptacles, care
being given to keep it free from refuse, manure, water and
other foreign matter. It is then cooked by live steam until
the albumin has coagulated after which it is pressed and dried.
Dried albumin may be ground and screened if desired. Albumin
is used extensively as a fertilizer. In the textilte industry un-
23O FOOD INDUSTRIES
coagulated albumin is used in setting the color permanently in
such material as gingham. The fresh drained blood is some-
times used in beet sugar refining as a clarifying agent ; it is then
known as "sugar house albumin."
Mixing Fertilisers. — To make a complete fertilizer phosphoric
acid, ammonia and potash must all be present. As only ammonia
and phosphorus compounds are obtained from bones, tankage
and blood, it is necessary to add a potassium salt, such as potas-
sium chloride or sulphate. According to need they are mixed
in different proportions and are thoroughly incorporated with a
filler as earth or ashes which acts as a diluent, the fertilizer
when used alone being too strong for plant life.
Glue and Gelatin. — Glue and gelatin can be made from many
by-products of the packing industry. The chief sources are the
liquids in which have been boiled cattle and sheep's heads, feet,
bones, sinews, hide trimmings, calves' heads and pigs'- feet. Many
grades may be obtained from fine white gelatin to a low grade
dark appearing glue, according to the part of the animal used,
the condition of the raw material and the care in manufacture.
In order to produce a high grade product, careful attention 'must
be given to the raw material in order that decomposition does
not set in. Only that which is in a sound, sweet condition should
be utilized. It is also essential that a low temperature be used
in concentrating the glue liquor, so that scorching and other
undesirable changes may not take place. This is accomplished by
evaporating the liquid, to the desired density in a vacuum pan
from which it is clarified, chilled and run into molds. It is then
cut into layers and dried in an oven.
In order to dissolve the mineral matter, bones are frequently
leached with an acid. By allowing them to remain in dilute
hydrochloric (2 Be.) or phosphoric (6° Be.) for three or four
weeks, the bones become soft and spongy. They are then freed
from the acid by careful washing, after which they are converted
into gelatin.
Bleaching the bones before cooking the glue liquid is practiced
by many manufacturers. Sulphur dioxide is most frequently
used, although other bleaching agents may be employed, such as
FOOD INDUSTRIES 23 1
zinc sulphate or chloride and peroxide of hydrogen. In addition
to bleaching these agents act as preservatives thus preventing
decomposition from setting in. Formaldehyde is also used in
small quantities as a preservative.
Canning of Meat, Beef Extracts, Sausages, etc. — As a rule
the canning of meat is carried on as a separate industry. See
Chapter XX. It is, however, one of the side issues that is fre-
quently found in the packing house, being established with the
view of saving a large proportion of meat that would otherwise
be wasted, or would be sold at a very low price. In this way
many of the cheaper cuts of meat, which are nourishing and
healthy, can be utilized. The preservation of meat by hermet-
ically sealing has led to still another department within the
packing house. In the soaking and cooking of meat part of the
water-soluble constituents are dissolved. By concentration in a
vacuum pan, these waste liquors together with the bone liquid,
may be converted into beef extracts. Fresh meat is rarely used
for this purpose among packers, consequently the cost of pre-
paring beef extracts by them is very small. For manufacturing
processes, see Chapter XV.
In the sausage department the packer finds another way of
disposing of those portions of meat which are nutritious but not
palatable in their original condition. Sausages, bologna, frank-
furts, scrapple and similar products are prepared after various
formulae placed upon the market. Besides meat from differ-
ent parts of the beef and pork, such products may contain corn
flour, cracker meal, boiled potatoes, starches and dextrins. These
are frequently spoken of as "fillers" and serve to prevent shrink-
age in bulk under the influence of heat. A great variety of
flavoring agents are added, sugar, salt, white or red pepper,
cinnamon, mace, allspice, cloves, coriander, carraway seeds, mar-
joram and onions or garlic. Saltpetre and coloring matter, con-
sisting of dyes of various kinds, assist in giving a better appear-
ance. The use of borax and boracic acid for purposes of pres-
ervation is still a common practice.
The manufacture of animal casings from the round or small
guts, middle or large intestines and bladders, of cattle, sheep
232 FOOD INDUSTRIES
and hogs, furnish another example of the utilization of material
entirely lost until the establishment of the modern packing house.
In order to supply the demand artificial casings are prepared
from cellulose to take the place of animal casings. To improve
the appearance of casings, to insure against shrinkage and to
prevent molding, varnish is sometimes used. It is prepared from
shellac, boracic acid, ammonia and water.
There is probably more chance for deception in the manufac-
ture of these products than in any other form of animal food
found on the market. When properly prepared they are highly
prized as food products. The frequent use, however, of such
material as borax, boracic acid, sulphite of soda, undesirable
colorings and excessive quantities of filler, is making the inspec-
tion of factories the only safeguard that the consumer has for
protection against the adulteration of these products.
Minor Packing House Products. — In connection with the pack-
ing industry, many other branches may be found, such as the
manufacture of chipped dried beef, the curing and smoking of
tongues and hams, and the preparation of pharmaceutical prod-
ucts from the various organs of slaughtered animals. From the
mucous membrane of the stomach of hogs, pepsin is made and
a similar ferment known as pancreatin may be obtained from
the pancreas or sweetbreads of animals.
In a like manner, from the bullock may be extracted cardine
from the heart, medulline from the spinal cord, musculine from
the muscular tissues and cerebrine from the brain. The thyroid
glands of the sheep and the bullocks yield thyroidine. . It is
claimed that these extracts from animals are beneficial in the
treatment of diseases of human organs similar to those from
which the extracts are prepared.
CHAPTER XVII.
MILK.
Fig. 56.— Burnside Farm, N. Y.
Source. — Milk is a white opaque fluid which is secreted by the
lacteal glands of the female of all animals, which belong to the
mammalian class. It is intended by nature to supply nourish-
ment to the young, until such a time as it is able to take food
similar to that utilized by the parents.
In different parts of the world various animals are bred for
the purpose of producing milk for the use of mankind. Prob-
ably the goat was one of the first animals to supply milk to the
human family, and in the rough, hilly districts of Europe, espe-
cially in the Swiss Alps, it is still very common. The milk of the
buffalo, the camel, the mare and the reindeer is frequently used,
while in parts of Europe the ewe has produced much milk for the
manufacture of cheese.
History does not tell us how the cow came to be developed
as a producer of milk, but in most civilized countries where the
climatic conditions permit, cow's milk is the sole source of supply.
It is not more desirable for human food than the milk of other
animals, but in development the cow has shown herself to be
able to give the best return for a given amount of care and
feeding:.
234 FOOD INDUSTRIES
Composition. — Chemically milk is composed of all the essentials
necessary to sustain life for a long- period and is therefore fre-
quently spoken of as a perfect food. It can only be regarded in
this light, however, when utilized by the type of animal for
which it is intended.
The composition varies in different animals, even in animals
of the same species, but the difference is rather in the relative
proportion of the various constituents, than in the general prop-
erties and composition of the ingredients themselves. The fol-
lowing figures will give a general idea of the composition of
cow's milk, although a great variation may occur according to
the breed, age of cow, period of lactation, amount and character
of the food, etc.
Per cent.
Water 87.2
Total solids 12.8
Fat 3.6
Carbohydrate 4.9
Protein 3.3
Mineral matter 0.7
Water is the largest constituent of the milk containing in solu-
tion, semi-solution or in suspension, the remaining ingredients
which are known as the total solids. Of these total solids fat is
commercially the most important as it is the source of butter
and to a great extent cheese. The amount differs more than any
other constituent, being low in the Holstein and relatively high
in the Jersey and Guernsey. The average should not fall below
3 per cent, and except in very rich milk, it will not exceed 5 per
cent.
Fat occurs in milk as an emulsion suspended in the milk
serum in the form of globules. On account of their specific
gravity these globules rise more or less readily to the top, when
milk is allowed to remain at rest, and are then known as cream
or top milk.
Chemically the fat which is known as butter-fat exists in two
forms, non-volatile and volatile. The non-volatile or insoluble
fats make up about 90 per cent, of the total amount, and consist
FOOD INDUSTRIES 235
of a number of fats of which palmitin, olein and stearin are the
most important. The characteristic taste and odor of milk and
butter are largely due to the existence of certain volatile fats,
butyrin, caprin, caproin and caprilin which constitute the re-
maining 10 per cent. Of these butyrin is the most important.
It occurs in the largest proportion and is the fat which on de-
composing yields butyric acid, readily detected in rancid butter.
The carbohydrate in milk is known as lactose or milk sugar.
It belongs to the disaccharid group as do sucrose and maltose,
and is similar so far as its ultimate composition is concerned.
The most marked difference is solubility; sucrose and maltose
are very readily soluble in water while lactose dissolves with
difficulty. Milk sugar therefore does not possess the sweeten-
ing power of the other disaccharids and is not apt to pall upon
the taste so rapidly.
Lactose does not readily yield to yeast fermentation, but under
the influence of certain bacteria found in all normal milk, it
undergoes partial decomposition yielding lactic acid according
to the following formulas :
C w H M O n . H 2 — 4 CH 3 CHOH COOH.
This change begins in the milk as a rule almost immediately
after it is drawn from the cow and continues until 0.9 of 1 per
cent, is formed, when further decomposition is checked by the
lactic acid.
The chief protein of milk is caseinogen which exists in an
extremely fine colloidal state in intimate contact with calcium
phosphate. Caseinogen will not coagulate on heating, but when
subjected to an acid which combines readily with the calcium, it
will precipitate in the form of a curd. It is very important com-
mercially as it is one of the chief constituents of cheese. Albumin
and globulin also occur in solution in milk but in relatively small
amounts, approximately 0.5 of 1 per cent, of the total protein.
They are essentially the same in chemical composition as the
albumin and globulin found in blood and egg.
Mineral matter is present in a relatively large amount, 0.7 of
1 per cent, in cow's milk and is utilized mainly for building pur-
poses. Small amounts of a variety of salts occur — phosphate
236 FOOD INDUSTRIES
of lime and potash, chlorides and sulphates of sodium and potas-
sium, with very small amounts of iron and magnesium. Human
milk contains much less inorganic matter, approximately 0.2
per cent, being present. It is frequently necessary therefore in
infant feeding to modify milk so it will more closely resemble
mother's milk.
Milk contains several other constituents occurring in minute
quantities. Lime occurs in combination with citric acid in the
form of a salt known as citrate of lime. It is also rich in various
enzymes which assist in the digestion of the protein, fat and milk
sugar. For a short period after it has been drawn bactericidal
bodies are present. The characteristic color of the fluid is largely
due to lactochrome which occurs in varying amounts, and is
generally supposed to be intimately associated with the palmitin
IMPORTANCE OF THE MILK SUPPLY.
Of all our standard articles of food none have received as
much attention as the production and handling of milk. The
reason for this may readily be seen for it has been found that
milk is more apt to be dangerous to health than any common
food product. It deteriorates very rapidly and as it is usually
taken in the raw state, no protection is afforded the consumer
through the process of cooking. The fact that it forms the sole
diet of the human being at an immature age makes this problem
a very serious one. Should there be any contamination, the
child would be liable to take it when least able to cope with a
disease.
Besides the chemical compounds previously considered, milk
contains a large number of bacteria which gain access to it after
it is secreted. Unfortunately the warmth of the milk, the fluid
condition and the composition make it a most favorable medium
for the growth of these micro-organisms. They reproduce very
rapidly and unless precautions are taken to inhibit their increase,
the number becomes enormously large in a comparatively short
time (Figs. 57-58). Through their action, changes begin to
take place in the milk constituents and in time decomposition
advances so far, that the milk is no longer fit for consumption.
Bac t e ri alTe sts
OF
Creamery Milk
i
FARMER'S MILK
DELIVERED
TO CREAMERY
SAME MILK AFTER
PASTEURIZING lMIN.
AT 155' f.
SAME MILK. AFTER
5 MINUTES IN
CREAMERY Mil K CANS
WATER IN WHICH
MILK CANS RECEIVE
flNAL RINSING
MILK FROM SAME
CANS AFTER ARRIVAL
IN NEW YORK CIT Y
NEXT MORNING
5,000,000
BACTERIA
PER CC
6700
BACTERIA
PER CC
560.000
BACTERIA
PER CC.
1.270.000
BACTERIA
PER CC
90.000.000
BACTERIA
PER CUBIC
CENTIMETER
Careless Handling
NVMILK COMMIT TEE
Bacteria Counts Tell the Story of Unsanitary Conditions
Fig- 57-
Bac t e hi alTe sts
OF
Creamery Milk
i
FARMER'S MILK
DELIVERED
TO CREAMERY
same milk after
pasteurizing 30 min.
AT U5* F
SAME MILK AFTER
3 MINUTES IN
CREAMERY BOTTLES I
WATER IN WHICH
BOTTLES RECEIVE
FINAL RINSING
MILK FROM SAME
BOTTLES AFTER
ARRIVAL IN N.Y. CITY
NEXT MORNING
28,000
BACTERIA
PER C.C.
3,000
BACTERIA
PER C.C.
3.000
BACTERIA
PER C.C.
NO
BACTERIA
5,000
BACTERIA
PER CUBIC
CENTIMETER
Careful Handling
NYMILK COMMirrCC
Bacteria Counts Tell the Story op Sanitary Conditions
Fig. 58.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 239
Diseases from Milk. — The greater number of the germs in milk
are harmless excepting the germs of specific diseases, such as
tuberculosis, typhoid, scarlet fever, diphtheria and septic sore
throat. The most dreaded disease is that of tuberculosis. The
bacilli may come directly from the cow affected with bovine
tuberculosis, in which case there is a possibility of large numbers
being present in the milk when it is drawn from the teats. Such
milk when mixed with that drawn from other cows may con-
taminate the supply from the entire herd. Expert examination
has proved that the disease is as prevalent among cows as it is
in the human family especially when the animal has been kept
under bad hygienic conditions. Rosenau states* "The fact that
bovine tuberculosis is frequently fatal, especially in children,
may be divined from the fact that fifteen per cent, of the fatal
cases of tuberculosis in children under five years of age that have
been studied, were due to the bovine type of bacillus" and "from
five to seven per cent, of all human tuberculosis is ascribed to
infection with the bovine bacillus." This shows the importance
of the care which should be given tO the milch cow and the
necessity of making the tuberculin test from time to time.
Milk may also be contaminated from persons having pulmonary-
tuberculosis or through the contaminated clothing or unsanitary
habits of the milker. It is believed that epidemics of diphtheria
and scarlet fever have been caused by the milk supply, probably
through secondary infection. The great importance of the
health and cleanliness of the milker and his family is again
shown in typhoid, since the cow does not have that disease. An
impure water supply in which milking utensils are washed has
frequently been the cause of the spread of typhoid. For this
reason no water which is not above suspicion should be used
about the dairy, for either drinking or washing purposes. In
recent years pathogenic streptococci causing sore throat have
been traced to infected milk.
Cholera infantum is believed by some authorities to be due to
the abnormal increase of bacteria of filth rather than to any one
species of micro-organism. That it is due to milk bacteria has
* Rosenau — The Milk Question, p. 100.
24O FOOD INDUSTRIES
been proved by the fa'ct that the trouble occurs in greatest abun-
dance at the season of the year when milk bacteria are most
numerous, that it is chiefly confined to infants fed upon cow's
milk and that the disease is greatly reduced when care is given
to supply pure milk.
Necessity for Cleanliness. — Milk easily becomes contaminated,
since it is a favorite medium for the development of bacteria
and must frequently be carried long distances. Hence cleanli-
ness is an absolute necessity in the production and handling
of our milk supply. Means should also be taken to prevent the
growth of micro-organisms, for even when produced under sani-
tary conditions, bacteria in small numbers are always present.
Their development may be inhibited by dropping the tempera-
ture immediately after milking to 50 F. and maintaining this
temperature until the milk is delivered. The importance of per-
fect cleanliness and low temperature cannot be over-estimated.
Safeguarding the Milk Supply. — To safeguard the supply laws
have been passed by the city and state governments, which while
differing in detail, contain the same general rules. As regards
composition milk must not contain more than 87-88 per cent,
water and should contain 12-13 P er cent, total solids of which
3 per cent, should be fat. It must be guarded from producer to
consumer, by surrounding it with sanitary conditions and a
temperature sufficiently low to prevent rapid growth of micro-
organisms. The addition of borax, boracic acid, salicylic acid,
formaldehyde or other preservative is forbidden. Some cities
also have a law in regard to the bacterial count but this has been
found impracticable in large communities.
Because of its wide usage as a food milk is more closely
supervised than other articles in the diet. It is inspected at the
farm, at creameries, during transportation, at receiving stations
and in distributing centers. Regulations are now more or less
enforced affecting surroundings where milk is produced. The
water supply must be above suspicion. The utensils should be
heavily tinned and seamless. They should be subjected each day
to a thorough washing and if possible to live steam or exposure
to sunlight. The stables should be light, well ventilated and fre-
FOOD INDUSTRIES 24I
quently whitewashed. No utensils, feed or other animals should
be kept in the stables. Bedding and manure must be daily
removed. The cow should be healthy and kept as clean as pos-
sible. The milker and dairyman's family should be free from
contagious disease. The milk should be drawn through a small
mouthed sanitary milk pail and cooled immediately. During the
journey to the consumer milk should be kept out of contact with
air and should be iced. Sanitary conditions should also prevail
where it is distributed.
Although the state may control more or less the supply of
milk from the producer to the consumer, once in the hands of
the housekeeper, the law is powerless to control the handling of
milk. Too frequently through ignorance or utter carelessness,
milk which has been carefully handled by farmer and distributor
is ruined by the housewife. It is as much her duty to see that
milk is guarded carefully as it is of those who have handled it
before her. The following hints to housekeepers have been con-
tributed by some of the students of Teachers College : Buy only
for daily use ; buy bottled milk whenever possible ; when milk must
be bought from an open can, use a covered receptacle to put it in,
such as a glass fruit jar; do not transfer bottled milk to another
receptacle ; on receiving wash the top and outside of the bottle
thoroughly and place at once near the ice in the ice box; do not
mix old and new milk; since milk absorbs odors do not put
it near strong smelling food ; keep well covered at all times ; when
the bottle is empty rinse with cold water, wash thoroughly with
hot water and set to drain away from dust; do not use milk
bottles for any other purpose; if there is a contagious disease in
the family until the danger is over, place a clean covered con-
tainer where the milkman may pour the contents of the milk
bottle which he is delivering into the container, or keep all bottles
delivered during the period of illness before returning, at which
time they should be thoroughly sterilized ; general rule — keep
milk cold and free from dirt.
Our Duty to the Producer. — As the study of the milk problem
advances more and more has been required of the producer.
The law now demands that cows must be in a healthy condition,
16
242 FOOD INDUSTRIES
that old barns and surroundings must be cleaned or new barns
built, stables must be whitewashed, the water supply must be
examined, new utensils must be bought and more care must be
given to cleanliness, which means more labor at an additional
cost. These requirements have greatly added to the cost of the
production of milk, and the farmer can no longer supply milk
at a profit for the same price as when unsanitary conditions pre-
vailed. The advance in price should therefore be cheerfully
borne by the consumer who is receiving a far better product
to-day than in years gone by.
Testing of Milk. — Milk is usually tested by the lactometer
which registers the specific gravity, and by the Babcock test which
gives the percentage of fat and also assists in the detection of
formaldehyde. The estimate of the amount of water and total
solids is made together with the bacterial count. For further
information in regard to these tests see a standard work on milk
as Milk and Its Products by Wing, The Production and Handling
of Clean Milk by Winslow, Harrington's Practical Hygiene, or
Van Slyke's Methods of Testing Milk and Milk Products.
Sterilization. — Even with ordinary care milk contains a large
number of bacteria which multiply rapidly. As previously seen
they may be a harmless type or those of specific diseases. These
troubles have led to the treatment of milk by heat the oldest
method being that of sterilization.
As sterilization means the destruction of all micro-organisms,
it is necessary either to hold milk at a temperature of 248 F. for
15 minutes or to raise it to the boiling temperature on three suc-
cessive days. This insures not only the destruction of bacteria
but spores of a highly resistant type and renders the milk practi-
cally sterile. If air be excluded such milk can be held indefi-
nitely. While undoubtedly this is the most effective method of
protecting milk against bacterial decomposition, it unfortunately
so alters the composition as to make it more difficult to digest.
This has proved so serious an objection that sterilization has
been practically abandoned in America, and either pasteuriza-
tion or the use of clean raw milk has taken its place.
FOOD INDUSTRIES
243
A B C
Fig- 59.— Pasteurization of Milk. The milk passes from the receiving tank (A) through
the clarifiers (B) to the pastuerizer (C) where it is heated to 145 F. It is then con-
ducted to the holding tanks (Fig. 60). (Courtesy of the Sheffeld-Farms-Slawson-
Decker Co.)
"WHan*^ . S: ;:--•■-
I
hm 1
/
' : >:r*-'- ■'';:'
: I ! !_
.
■ _
■ •
W~r ' •*'"
..." ^*^ '1
'
- ; '"_T r ~# [
J'
Fig. 60.— Holding Tanks. Milk heated to 145 F. is conducted successively to four
holding tanks where it is held for fifteen minutes in each tank. At a temperature
of about 142 F. it passes back through the pasteurizers and is rapidly cooled.
(Courtesy of the Sheffield-Farms-Slawson-Decker Co.)
244
FOOD INDUSTRIES
Fig. 6 1. —Milk Coolers. (Courtesy, of the Sheffield-Farms-Slawson-Decker Co.)
Fig. 62. -Milk Bottling Machine. (Courtesy of the Sheffield-Farms-Slawson-Decker Co.)
FOOD INDUSTRIES 245
Pasteurization. — The term pasteurization means the heating- of
milk below the boiling point, from 140 to 160 F., followed by
rapid cooling (Figs. 59-62). This method was named from Pas-
teur who suggested its use in 1864 for the preservation of beer
and wine. It was not, however, until 1886 that the process was
applied to milk. It differs from sterilization mainly in the degree
of heat to which bacteria are subjected. All micro-organisms
are not destroyed by this method so pasteurized milk will in time
decompose. It has been found, nevertheless, that from 95 to 98
per cent, of bacterial life and practically all of disease bacteria
have been rendered harmless, so milk thus treated can be kept
from souring from twelve to twenty-four hours longer. If milk
has been kept for a period before pasteurization, poisons may
have been formed in it which heat will not destroy. It is there-
fore absolutely essential that only clean, fresh milk should be
pasteurized. The process can in no way take the place of clean-
liness and should never be used to atone for unsanitary methods
in the production and handling of the milk supply.
If a low temperature has been used pasteurizing does not
injure milk so far as its nutritive value is concerned and it af-
fords a certain protection against such diseases as tuberculosis
and typhoid which have been previously discussed.
Certified Milk. — The term is intended to signify that the milk
is certified as to its quality and wholesomeness by a medical
milk commission. While pasteurization properly carried out has
greatly assisted in safeguarding the milk supply of large cities,
where enormous quantities must frequently be carried long dis-
tances, it is by no means ideal. It frequently means a purified
rather than a pure milk. This has proved satisfactory for or-
dinary household purposes and for adults, but in infant feeding
nothing can take the place of pure raw milk produced under
ideal conditions. A standard of excellence has been fixed by
medical commissions and milk which can satisfy these require-
ments is sold under the name of certified or guaranteed milk.
The bacterial count must be low, and it must possess the other
characteristics of pure wholesome milk. This can only be se-
cured by perfect cleanliness in regard to the dairy methods,
246 FOOD INDUSTRIES
care of the cow, and health of the milker. To comply with
sanitary regulations means an excess cost to the producer, so
certified milk may be sold at a higher price. Such milk is fre-
quently sold under the special name of the dairy, as Walker-
Gordon milk.
Modified Milk. — As the composition of cow's milk differs from
that of human milk, being higher in protein and mineral matter
and lower in milk sugar, it is frequently found necessary to
change the composition of cow's milk to more nearly make it
resemble that of the human being, or to give a milk of known
composition especially adapted to the particular needs of the
infant or invalid. Water, barley water, lime water or dextrin-
ized gruel may be used as a diluent and cream and milk sugar
may or may not be added. Such a product is called modified
milk.
All precautions stated above for the production and handling
of clean milk as well as the requirements of the certifying
Medical Society should be observed in producing modified milk.
CHAPTER XVIII.
MILK PRODUCTS.
Condensed Milk. — The importance of milk in the diet and the
rapid deterioration even under the most favorable conditions,
have led to much experimentation along the line of its preserva-
tion for a long period.
In the early part of the 19th century an attempt was made
to hold milk indefinitely by reducing the percentage of water.
As a high temperature was used in the condensing process
the result was a boiled milk, the composition of which greatly
differed from the raw material. Lactose like any other sugar
caramelized in time and gave to the finished product a dark
color and a bitter taste. Lime salts, so necessary in the digestion
of milk, were thrown out of solution and the protein matter was
much altered in composition. The process proved a failure.
It was not until 1856 that another attempt was made to pre-
serve milk by condensing it. At that time Gail Borden was
granted a patent "On a process for concentrating milk by evapo-
ration in vacuo, having no sugar or other foreign matter mixed
with it." The Borden process reduced the temperature to 160 F.
and eventually resulted in placing a satisfactory product on the
market. Although the early days of the condensed milk business
were full of discouragement to the manufacturer, the industry
has now grown to enormous proportions, rapid strides having
been made during the past ten years. This shows great increase
in the consumption of condensed milk not only in countries where
the breeding of the cow is impossible, but also for use on ocean
liners, in the navy, lumber and mining camps and in home
markets.
The successful condensing of milk requires that the raw
material be produced under the best hygienic surroundings, and
invariably the dairy conditions will be found to be in a high
state of development, wherever milk is being treated by the con-
densing process.
There are two classes of condensed milk, sweetened and un-
sweetened.
2 4 S
FOOD INDUSTRIES
FOOD INDUSTRIES 249
Process. — When milk is received at the factory it is tested,
filtered to remove dirt, and quickly sterilized by raising the
temperature of the milk to the boiling point. Sugar is added to
the extent of about 16 pounds to ioo pounds of milk. The
sweetened fluid is run into a vacuum pan and kept at a tempera-
ture of approximately 130 F. until it is condensed about two
and one-half times. When sufficiently concentrated it is run into
40 quart cans which are surrounded by ice. During this opera-
tion which lasts one hour, the milk is constantly stirred with
paddles after which it is immediately run into tin cans, capped,
labeled and boxed. While not sterile this product will keep for
a long period. The long continued heat should destroy most
bacteria and the addition of sugar acts as a preservative.
An unsweetened condensed milk meant for immediate use is
put on the market by many condensing companies. The process
of manufacture is essentially the same, with the exception that
no cane sugar is added, and the concentration is a little over
three times. It is usually sold in glass jars capped with paper
caps, similar to fresh cream, and will remain sweet and fit for
consumption as long as fresh cream.
Evaporated Milk. — Evaporated milk is an unsweetened con-
densed milk sold in hermetically sealed cans. As no cane sugar
is added it depends entirely on sterilization for its keeping
quality. The raw material is held in heating wells for ten to
twenty minutes, then is run directly into the vacuum pan where
it is concentrated two and a quarter times. After cooling the
evaporated milk is immediately put into cans and sealed. The
hermetically sealed cans are sterilized at a temperature of 235 ° F.
for one-half hour. While cooling they are subjected to shakers
to mix the jelly. This agitation breaks up any coagulum which
may have formed during sterilization. The cans are finally
placed in a curing room where they are kept for thirty days,
after which they are examined before being placed on the
market. As this product is sterile it will keep indefinitely.
Concentrated Milk. — The Campbell process of concentrating
milk has placed upon the market in recent years a small amount
of milk, relatively free from bacteria, and which can be pur-
25O FOOD INDUSTRIES
chased at the price of ordinary milk. The best fresh milk which
can be obtained is used. After being tested the raw product is
put through the centrifuge, in order to clarify it from stable dirt
and to separate the cream and skim milk. The cream is pas-
teurized, while the skim milk is heated for two or three hours
at a temperature of 140 F. during which a continuous blast of
filtered air is driven through it. Evaporation is continued until
three parts of the original product is condensed to one part of
the concentrated skim milk, after which the pasteurized cream
is added. The product is placed upon the market in small bottles
to which three parts of water must be added to give the original
consistency. On account of the low temperature used, concen-
trated milk has not materially changed in composition and after
the addition of water, it appears to have the properties of ordi-
nary fresh milk. According to Professor Conn the method of
using combined heat and aeration destroys most of the bacteria,
especially those of specific diseases, and gives a relatively safe
milk even for infant feeding. On account of its concentration
such milk when kept below 50 F. will last for a week or ten
days.
Milk Powders. — The process of reducing milk to the powdered
form has become quite an industry in recent years. To obtain a
successful product, the milk must be desiccated at a low tempera-
ture in order to prevent chemical change from taking place. This
is frequently accomplished by drying in a thin film on metal
plates in vacuo. The resulting creamy white mass will unite
readily with water to give the original consistency of the milk.
On account of the fat, powders prepared from whole milk will
not keep indefinitely unless placed in cold storage; those from
skim milk have been found more satisfactory. They are used to
a large extent for cooking where fresh milk cannot be obtained.
Market Cream. — Cream is the fatty constituent of milk. It may
be separated by the same methods as are used in butter-making,
namely gravity and centrifugal force. When obtained by the use
of the separator, which method is employed in practically
all large dairy industries, less loss is involved, time and labor
are saved and the product obtained is cleaner and richer. Sep-
FOOD INDUSTRIES 25 1
arator cream will also keep longer since it does not contain so
much of the entangled caseinogen. The composition which is
based largely on the fat content is variable. The U. S. Standard
cream must contain not less than 18 per cent, of milk fat but
State standards vary from 15-20 per cent. Cream obtained by
centrifugal force can be made to vary from "very light" as low
as 8 per cent, to "very heavy" as high as 70 per cent. A good
quality for commercial purposes contains from 18-25 P er cent,
and very rich cream from 35-40 per cent. fat. The Commission
on Milk Standards requires that no foreign matter be added,
cream should contain only the ingredients of normal milk. In
addition to preservatives, gelatin and calcium saccharate (visco-
gen) have been used to increase the consistency of a low-grade
product. Cream should be kept under the same conditions as
have been recommended for sanitary milk. As it is generally ten
or twelve hours older than the corresponding grade of milk the
bacterial count is apt to be considerably higher, about five times
the amount is allowed.
Ice Cream. — The term ice cream as commonly used is applied
to a variety of products prepared from frozen milk or cream.
In the mountainous regions of the Far East sweetened fruit juices
in a frozen condition known as sherbets were in common use in
early ages. The custom of eating these frozen products was in-
troduced into Europe by the Moors and the secret of their prep-
aration became common property of the Spaniards and natives
of adjacent countries. Ice cream as a frozen milk product was
developed in the northern part of Italy, was carried from there
to France and finally appeared in England during the reign of
Charles II. In the latter part of the eighteenth century ice
cream was publicly sold in New York City and one of the largest
of the existing concerns began business in the same city in the
early part of the last century. About sixty or seventy years ago
frozen products made from cream with the addition of sugar
and flavoring agents became known under the name of Phila-
delphia Ice Cream. In contrast to that product mixtures of
milk and sugar with eggs, boiled starch, gelatin, casein or similar
substances were called Neapolitan Cream. Within the last ten
252 FOOD INDUSTRIES
years a compound intermediate between the sherbet and ice
cream known as Lacto or Sour Milk Ice Cream was introduced
by Mortensen.
The manufacture and consumption of these products have in-
creased in enormous bounds due largely to the practice of com-
bining ice cream with soda water especially during the heated
season. In some localities creameries now find it more profitable
to convert their product into ice cream rather than into butter.
Standards at present call for 14 per cent, butter fat but if the
product is to be mixed with nuts, eggs or other highly nutritious
matter a lower per cent, of cream can be used. While it is
advisable to maintain a high cream standard it is far more im-
portant to be certain of a low bacterial count. To ensure safety
some manufacturers pasteurize cream. This practice does not,
however, eliminate the danger should ptomaines be present in the
product due to unsanitary conditions.
BY-PRODUCTS OF THE BUTTER INDUSTRY.
The chief industry using milk is the butter industry which
has been described in Chapter XIV. The most important by-
products of this industry are mentioned below.
Skim Milk. — For butter-making the fat is separated from
whole milk very largely by the centrifuge. With this method
only a trace of the other constituents is removed with the
fat; this leaves the skim milk rich in protein and carbo-
hydrate. As skim milk contains all the normal ingredients of
ordinary milk except fat, it can very readily be used for cooking
purposes, or as a beverage for people who find cream hard to
digest. As the law, however, frequently forbids the selling of
skim milk, it has been utilized to a great extent for cattle food
or in many cases thrown away. This is a waste of valuable ma-
terial for the protein and lactose can be recovered by the follow-
ing comparatively simple methods.
Dried Casein. — The skim milk is run into a vat and a small
amount of sulphuric or acetic acid is added. This precipitates
the caseinogen in the form of a curd which can readily be
removed from the whey, washed, pressed, dried and sold as
FOOD INDUSTRIES 253
dried casein. It is used in the paper, leather and textile indus-
tries, as an ingredient of paints, glues, and cement, for the
manufacture of imitation ivory articles and as several forms of
concentrated food.
Milk Sugar. — After the removal of the caseinogen the water
may be evaporated (over hot water) from the whey until the
lactose crystallizes. It is generally reduced to the powdered
form and is much used in pharmacy and for infants' and invalids'
food.
Buttermilk. — Buttermilk is the fluid which is left after churn-
ing in the process of butter-making. It is commonly used as a
food for young calves and pigs, and as a beverage, esepecially
during the summer months. The chief points in which it differs
from milk are poverty in fat and increase in acidity, due to the
formation of lactic acid which rarely exceeds 0.5 per cent. But-
termilk is comparatively easy to digest on account of the absence
of fat and the changed condition of the caseinogen which exists
in a finely flocculent form.
Artificially Soured Milk. — A milk which has been artificially
soured by the addition of lactic acid ferments can now be found
on the market, or can be prepared at home; it has been highly
recommended by Metchnikoff. The product is prepared by
pasteurizing pure fresh milk. The temperature is then lowered,
cultures of lactic acid bacteria are added, the mass is held at
ioo° F. for several hours, is then bottled and sold under a trade
name.
CHEESE.
Historical. — Cheese has been known as a valuable food for at
least one thousand years before the Christian era. It is believed
to be one of the oldest products manufactured from milk and
probably owes its origin to the accidental storing of milk curd.
In the early historic days of the Roman Empire, cheese formed
an important article of diet and is still used as a chief source of
protein by the Italians as well as many other European nations.
It is largely manufactured at the present time in France, Italy,
Germany, England, Switzerland and Holland. The Americans
produce large quantities of cheese especially in New York and
254 FOOD INDUSTRIES
Wisconsin, but do not as a nation consume as much as the
Europeans.
The industry in America was started in a small way, prin-
cipally by immigrants who sought to earn a livelihood in the
New World by the same occupation that they had carried on in
their native land. This is particularly true of the cheese indus-
try in Wisconsin, which owes its origin to the settlement of
twenty-seven Swiss families during 1845, m the rough hilly
country of Greene County. For a long period the wives and
daughters of the home were the cheese makers, but like many
other industries, it was gradually transferred to the manufac-
turer.
The product is prepared from milk by processes which elim-
inate water, and gather a large part of the solids together, in
such a form that the nourishment is retained and capable of
being preserved for varying periods of time. Many varieties are
made at the present time. Cow's milk supplies most of the raw
material, although the milk of the ewe and goat is used largely
abroad for the manufacture of certain well known cheeses. As
a rule milk is used in the natural condition and the product is
then known as whole-milk or full cream cheese. Cream cheese
is made from milk and cream, while skim-milk cheeses are manu-
factured from milk from which part of the fat has been re-
moved.
Whatever the kind of milk used the general process of manu-
facture is the same. The raw material must be treated in such
a way as to precipitate the caseinogen in the form of a curd.
This may be accomplished in two ways ; by the natural develop-
ment of lactic acid and by the addition of rennet. The first
variety known by some such name as pot cheese or cottage
cheese is not a true cheese, as it has been prepared without the
use of rennet, which is essential in cheese-making. This type
cheese is prepared more frequently in the home, is soft in texture
and has poor keeping quality. The second variety represents
the many kinds of domestic and foreign cheese found in the mar-
kets.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 255
Composition of Cheese. — Generally speaking the composition of
cheese is about from one-third to one-quarter each of water, fat
and protein, with a small amount of mineral matter. The protein
is largely predigested having been changed to casein by the action
of rennet. Only a small amount of unchanged caseinogen can
be found while in many well cured varieties, through the action
of micro-organisms, part of the casein has been further changed
to meta-protein, peptone and amino-acids. The mineral matter
consists of the salts of milk with a small addition of common
salt to improve the flavor.
Cheese-making. — The large cheeses found in the American mar-
ket are prepared by processes more or less copied from the Eng-
lish Cheddar Process. Cheddar cheese was first made in the
village of Cheddar, England, about 250 years ago. It has grad-
ually grown in popularity until the manufacture has now spread
over the civilized world.
Process Used in Cheddar Cheese.
Straining milk.
Ripening— (82 ° -86° F.). |
Mixing rennet. I
Clotting.
Cutting. j.
Stirring.
Cooking 98 F.
Removing part of whey.
Cheddaring or matting.
Grinding.
Salting.
Pressing.
Curing.
The preliminary treatment of milk is of the greatest impor-
tance. Successful cheese-making depends to a great extent on
the purity of the raw material. Great losses are frequently
caused by carelessness in the production and handling of the
milk supply, for the quality of the milk in respect to cleanli-
ness, determines largely the quality of the product that can be
Under the influence of the
lactic acid fermentation.
J
256 FOOD INDUSTRIES
manufactured from it. The same cleanliness should be observed
as in the production of market milk, clean and healthy cows and
milkers, sanitary conditions of stable, utensjls and other appara-
tus. Special attention should be given that no odors can be
absorbed from manure, pig pens or silos, and that the cow has
not eaten strong smelling food, such as onions, garlic and the like.
As quickly as possible after being drawn from the cow milk
should be strained and cooled. To assist the escape of volatile
matter, it is sometimes aerated by being poured through the air
from one container to another. Stirring also helps the escape of
animal odors as well as prevents the cream from rising to the
top. As lactic acid is desired milk is allowed to ripen either
naturally or by the addition of a starter, at a temperature of 82 -
86° F. Tests are made from time to time until the desired acidity
has been developed. The milk is then run into shallow rectangu-
lar tanks, so arranged that they can be readily tilted, and contain-
ing pipes through which hot water can be circulated. A tem-
perature of about 85 F. is maintained. While heating the milk
is constantly stirred with paddles to prevent the cream from
rising to the top. If any coloring matter is to be added it is put
in at this time. When thoroughly mixed and of the desired
temperature, the coagulative agent rennet is added, the mass is
again stirred for a few minutes and is then allowed to rest.
The active principle of rennet is found in the lining of the
stomach of milk fed animals. As a rule it is obtained from
calves although it has been taken from pigs and puppies. Through
the action of rennet, the conjugated protein caseinogen is split
into simple proteins, casein and pseudo nuclein, thus making
cheese a predigested food. The activity of rennet is greatly
assisted by keeping the mass at body temperature, and by the
successful ripening of the milk in an earlier stage. The clot or
curd as it is known to the manufacturer, forms in about ten to
fifteen minutes, but is usually allowed to stand one-half hour
before it is put through the process of cutting. The mass is then
firm enough to break with a clean fracture, when gently pressed
with the finger.
Until recent years, the curd was simply broken into irregular
FOOD INDUSTRIES 257
pieces with the hand or some instrument, in order to allow the
escape of the whey. Experimentation has proved that there is
less loss in the fat content if the curd is cut into uniform pieces.
The process is now carried on by curd knives which cut the
mass into small cubes. As the whey makes its escape, the cubes
sink to the bottom of the vat and are kept from uniting by a
gentle agitation of the entire mass.
In order to facilitate the further separation of the whey, the
temperature is raised to 98°-ioo° F. This shrinks the curd until
it is about one-half of its former size and causes the development
of more lactic acid. When sufficient acid has developed the whey
is again removed and the curd is allowed to mat together (ched-
daring), various changes taking place during the process. The
curd is then ground, in order to reduce it to particles of con-
venient size for receiving the salt and pressing into shape.
The salt is added principally to give flavor. It has, however,
another influence, for salt having a great attraction for water,
the curd is hardened. The mass is next put into a press for
twenty-four hours to give it shape. After being taken from the
press the curd is put into the curing room, where it undergoes
fermentation for four or six weeks or longer. During this time
the cheeses are turned at frequent intervals and are rubbed on the
outside with whey butter, a fatty liquid which rises to the top
of the quietly standing whey.
Curing. — As cheese is not eaten for its nutritive- value alone,
but more frequently for the strong appetizing taste, this part of
the process is most important. It consists in subjecting the
cheese to the action of micro-organisms, which in their desire for
food, decompose material giving rise to characteristic flavors
During this series of fermentations which are not altogether
understood, gases develop which cause holes to be formed in
the cheese. The ripening process is carefully guarded as to
temperature so it will not proceed too rapidly or too far, in
which case putrefactive fermentation is apt to set in.
As much of the success of cheese-making depends on the
curing, bacteria and molds are now being carefully studied in
connection with this industry. Methods once established by
17
258 FOOD INDUSTRIES
which ripening can be controlled, will insure a uniform product,
an extension of the manufacture of certain varieties of cheese,
and a saving of much money to the industry.
For information in regard to the manufacture of well known
cheeses, such as Roquefort, Edam, Camembert and Brie, see a
standard book on dairy products, Milk and Its Products by Wing
or The Practice and Art of Cheese-making by Van Slyke and
Publow.
Uncured Cheeses. — Several varieties of soft uncured cheeses
may be found on the market, of which Neufchatel and Philadel-
phia cream cheese are the best known. They are prepared by
coagulating ripened milk with rennet, allowing the 'curd to de-
velop a mild acidity, after which the surplus moisture is re-
moved by drainage and pressure. The curd is then ground,
salted, molded into shape and wrapped in thin paper and tinfoil.
Adulteration. — The only extensive form of adulteration prac-
ticed is the substitution of lard for the usual amount of fat.
Lard and skim milk can be mixed together with coloring matter,
put through a process to emulsify the lard, after which reg-
ular processes of cheese-making can be carried out (filled
cheese).
Although adulteration has not been practiced to any large
extent, much misbranding of cheese has been discovered in the
United States. Cheese manufactured in this country has been
frequently found to bear a label conveying the impression that
the article is of foreign make, also, that the cheese has been made
of cream and milk, when only whole milk has been used.
CHAPTER XIX.
PRESERVATION OF FOODS.
Methods used in preserving food material may be classified as
follows :
Physical
Chemical
Use of Preservatives
( Drying.
-j Cooling.
(_ Sterilization and exclusion of air.
f Sugaring.
| Salting.
{ Smoking.
j Use of fats and oils.
(^ " " spices.
Borax and boracic acid.
Sulphurous acid and sulphites.
Benzoic " " benzoates.
Salicylic " salicylates.
Formaldehyde.
Peroxide of hydrogen.
The attempt to preserve food material has been practiced from
the earliest ages, many centuries before the cause of decay was
understood. This custom undoubtedly arose from the desire to
hold provisions obtained in a successful chase or during an abun-
dant harvest, for periods of famine, inclement weather, or for
use at other seasons. Modern life is making this subject of vast
importance, for the crowding of people into large cities neces-
sarily means the carrying of food for long distances, and present
habits of living demand the open market for twelve months in
the year. To meet this problem, bacteriology has been called
upon to make plain the habits of the micro-organisms, which live
on food and are the cause of the decay.
DRYING.
Drying is the oldest and simplest method the principle being
exclusively the withdrawal of water. Mold can live on a very
small amount of moisture for it is frequently seen growing on
damp floors, walls, cloths, food and the like. Bacteria demand
considerable water and will not grow unless well supplied. They
260 FOOD INDUSTRIES
need a medium that is practically liquid for they are only able to
absorb food in a fluid condition. Many types of bacteria will
cease to grow when the amount of water falls to 30 per cent,
and all stop developing when it is below 25 per cent.
Nature uses this method of preservation for when grain is
ripening much of the moisture which was present in the green
stage gradually disappears, leaving the mature grain shriveled
and dry. If this were not so putrefaction would soon take place.
Much of our food material classed as non-perishable — cereals,
starch, sugar, flour and meal — is preserved in this way. That
they are good food for micro-organisms can readily be seen by
their rapid decomposition when water is added.
Drying seems to be very much better adapted to fruit and
vegetables than it does to protein matter. The class of sub-
stances known as dried meat and fish are simply reduced to a
more or less dry condition after which another method of pres-
ervation is added. This may consist in the addition of salt,
sugar or other harmless preservative, or the product may be
smoked. These cases will be referred to in detail under their
special heading.
In early days sun-drying was used entirely and only surplus
crops were preserved. The disadvantages of the old-fashioned
method were loss of flavor and color, due to oxidation or en-
zyme action; and contamination of the freshly exposed surfaces
by the dust of the atmosphere and insect life. Certain fruits such
as grapes which are commonly dried intact are still cured by this
method owing to the protection of the tough skin and the pres-
ence of organic acids.
Modern methods in the production and drying of fruit have
led to an enormous increase in the industry during the past ten
years. Large orchards are now planted specifically for the pro-
duction of fruit for drying and in many places the fruit is as
carefully chosen and handled as that which is being placed on
the market in the fresh state. In California and such sections as
are free from rain and excessive moisture open-air drying is
still extensively employed in conjunction, however, with modern
sanitary methods. Carefully selected, mature fruit is thoroughly
FOOD INDUSTRIES 26l
cleaned by brushing and washing' if necessary. It is then sur-
face dried, cut into desirable shapes by machinery, placed on
trays, sometimes sulphured for bleaching and disinfecting pur-
poses and dried in the sunlight. In countries with less depend-
able weather conditions in-door drying is largely employed. Sev-
eral methods are now in use: 1st, hot air drying in which the
fruit is placed in a cabinet, kiln or tower shaped evaporator
through which hot air pipes are conducted, provision being made
to carry off the evaporated moisture; 2nd, the vacuum drier
operated by alternate exhaustion and renewal of warm air thus
rapidly removing the moisture; 3rd, filtered air at ordinary tem-
perature may be employed thus protecting the fruit from a loss
of flavor which occurs in both of the former methods.
The increased output of the present day has resulted in not
only a greater consumption of dried fruits at home but has placed
such products in the European markets where they can fre-
quently be bought for a lower price than fresh native fruit.
COOLING.
The principle with this method of preservation is surrounding
food with temperature conditions unfavorable for bacterial de-
velopment, this may mean low temperature or actually freezing
according to the product. The thermal death point of micro-
organisms ranges between wider limits than any other form of
life. Boiling does not kill all types, neither does freezing. The
best temperatures at which to hold food in cold storage, or to
which it should be raised with sterilization, are now being care-
fully studied. The physical properties of the food product must
also be considered. With fruit which has a high water content
and a fragile carbohydrate tissue the expanding force of the ice
crystals is highly destructive; fruit should never be frozen. In
the case of flesh foods less water and a tough highly elastic
tissue, minimizes the effect of the force, hence these products
can be frozen if desirable.
Advantages of Cold Storage. — 1st, No nourishment is taken
from food; 2nd, no foreign matter is added; 3rd, no new taste is
imparted so the flavor is not greatly changed ; 4th, the digestibility
262 FOOD INDUSTRIES
is not diminished ; 5th, a large quantity of perishable goods can
now be kept that were formerly thrown away.
Disadvantages of Cold Storage. — 1st, The keeping quality is
impaired especially when too low a- temperature has been used.
The physical condition is frequently altered so bacteria can more
readily act upon it as with meat or fish. Such food should be
consumed as quickly as possible when taken from refrigeration ;
2nd, fruit deteriorates rapidly after having been in cold storage.
This is frequently caused by a large amount of moisture con-
densing on the surface of cold fruit when taken into a warm
place, thus making the conditions most favorable for mold
growth ; 3rd, it has led unscrupulous dealers to hold back prod-
ucts for high prices.
In spite of these disadvantages cold storage has been one of
the best methods so far used for preserving foods. Beginning
in i860 its use has spread enormously and has made possible
the uniform distribution of fresh foods, such as meat, poultry,
eggs, milk, fruit, vegetables and the like throughout every part
of the country. By an interchange of the surplus with foreign
nations, it has vastly improved the world's food supply and has
greatly remedied the enormous waste, in many sections of both
hemispheres.
Manufacturers' methods of coolings are either employment of
ice or the expansion of compressed gas, as used in the ammonia
process. The housewife must as a rule depend upon an ice
. chest which is generally kept too warm. The temperature of an
ordinary refrigerator registers from 50 to 6o° F., whereas it
should be kept below 50 F.
Precautions in Care of the Ice Chest. — 1st, Do not wrap ice in
newspaper for it is only in melting that a low temperature is
maintained ; 2nd, keep ice chest well filled with ice ; 3rd, keep the
chest as dry as possible as cold damp air harbors many low forms
of plant and animal life; 4th, charcoal should not be utilized for
lining as it soon becomes clogged and makes a fine incubator for
bacteria; 5th, wash frequently with warm water and a neutral
soap.
The preservation of food in refrigerators depends on three
FOOD INDUSTRIES 263
conditions — low temperature, ventilation and dryness. Low tem-
perature can only be secured by the melting of the ice. Ventila-
tion in the past depended entirely on the opening and shutting of
the door but in all well constructed refrigerators of the modern
type provision is made for circulation of air. Dryness depends
upon the rapid change of air in the ice-box and in a certain
sense is connected with the question of ventilation.
STERILIZATION AND EXCLUSION OF AIR.
See Chapter XX — The Canning Industry.
SUGARING.
Preserving by means of sugar is not used to as large an extent
to-day as it was in former years. The great improvements
achieved by canning manufacturers have made their products so
popular that they have largely taken the place of the old-fash-
ioned preserves.
The antiseptic action of sugar appears to be due to the ease
with which bacteria give up to concentrated solutions a part of
their constitutional elements thus weakening their reproductive
power. The old-fashioned housekeeper's recipe usually read —
"A pound of sugar to a pound of fruit," thus the product was as
a rule protected against fermentation. It was quite possible,
however, for mold to grow but the formation always occurred on
the surface and could readily be removed. Melted paraffin
poured over the top of the preserved product largely protects
it against mold growth.
The great disadvantage with this method is the altered taste.
Sugar is added in such large quantities that the strength of its
flavor conceals or destroys other flavors that are desired, such
as the pleasant acidity of many fruits. A second inconvenience
is the large quantity of sugar that is required in order to preserve
a small quantity of fruit, hence the use of it is very expensive.
Preserved fruit is used to-day only as a sweetmeat.
It has been found possible to preserve meat and fish by the
use of sugar alone. Although this method has never been used
with protein material in America, it is still customary in Por-
tugal to preserve fish, such as the salmon, by splitting, cleaning
264 FOOD INDUSTRIES
and sprinkling the interior with sugar. The claim is made that
fish prepared in this way can be kept for a long time with a per-
fectly fresh flavor.
SALTING.
The keeping of food material with salt has been used from
very early times. The discovery of its preservative action was
probably accidental, due to the finding of animal carcasses em-
bedded in the saline deserts of Asia. Ancient wine makers fre-
quently used salt water with the object of keeping their product
for a longer period, and Pliny speaks of flesh food being treated
with salt and meat being preserved with brine. The custom of
salting fish was also known to the Greeks and Romans, but it
seemed to have been used more as an incentive to the consump-
tion of wine than because of any wish to add to the keeping
quality of the product.
The efficiency of salt as a preservative is probably due to the
fact that in saturated solution the greater part of the tissue pro-
tein is insoluble. Further, salt being a highly crystalline com-
pound readily penetrates the tissue and in a short time the liquid
portion reaches the point of saturation desired. The process of
removing the salt before using is the reverse of the above and is
termed freshening; this operation is more or less completely
carried out just previous to cooking. There are three methods
of salting as follows: 1st. Dry-salting or powdering where the
sodium chloride in the powder form is freely rubbed on the sur-
face of the object, the operation being repeated until the mois-
ture appears to be absorbed. In many cases the material has
been partially dried previous to salting. This method is now
confined to certain types of fish. 2nd. Wet-salting — a slight modi-
fication of the above with less salt used. 3rd. Pickling — the com-
monest method of salting consists of immersing the product in
a saturated solution of salt (pickle) and adding more dry salt
from time to time, in order to overcome any diluting tendency,
due to the admixture of the pickle and tissue liquid. In case
of red meats salt-petre is added to the pickle on the plea that
it tends to retain the color. This method is extensively used for
vegetables, meats and fish.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 265
. While salt is harmless and is needed in the diet this method
on the whole has not been found satisfactory. The flavor is
greatly altered, the physical nature of the product is so changed
by the toughening of the fiber that it is more difficult to digest
and the loss of nourishment due to osmosis is considerable. Other
methods of preservation have to a great extent taken the place
of salting.
SMOKING.
The art of smoking meat and fish to assist in its preservation
has been practiced from remote ages. The custom probably
originated from the habit of suspending food material within the
tent or primitive dwelling. Being close to an open wood fire,
smoke arose saturating the hanging material and not only gave
it an agreeable taste, but greatly assisted in the keeping quality.
This simple practice is still largely followed in isolated sections.
Small smoke-houses are frequently found in many parts of the
country, where meat or fish can be laid across slats near the
roof and smoke from a wood fire allowed to pass over it.
The preservative action is now known to be due to certain
products present in the smoke, such as creosote, which contains
a bactericidal substance known as guaiacol. Formaldehyde and
acetic acid are also present in smoke, but as they are extremely
volatile, they are of little use. Creosote being less volatile re-
mains on the exterior of the meat and acts as a violent germi-
cide, while being perfectly harmless to the human consumer of
the product. Since many woods also yield turpentine on burn-
ing it is necessary to select beech, hickory, oak or such woods
as yield creosote and not terpene compounds which would affect
the flavor. Water plays an important part in the production
of creosote so generally the wood is used in the green state (Fig.
64).
Smoking does not protect against all forms of micro-organ-
isms. Mold can attack food preserved in this way, but it is
usually only on the surface and can readily be removed with a
cloth dampened with lard or sweet oil. Canvas-covered meats
are less likely to be attacked by mold. As smoking does not
266
FOOD INDUSTRIES
reach the interior only material free from contamination should
be used.
It is quite customary to combine salting and sugaring with
smoking as in sugar cured hams. If such products are of a
high grade they are immersed in a pickle composed of salt,
salt-petre, sugar and spices for forty to sixty days, after which
they are placed in a smoke-house for three days. This process
is excellent but it is long and increases the cost so a quicker,
Fig. 64.— The Sausage Smoke House. (Courtesy of Armour & Co., Chicago, 111.)
cheaper method is occasionally substituted. Brine is pumped
into the ham and the product is then treated with smokine. This
preservative contains minute particles of creosote in solution
and may be applied by a brush or by dipping meat quickly into
the solution and afterwards drying it. This method is not as
effective as the use of the old-fashioned smoke-house and the
creosote is more likely to penetrate.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 267
USE OF FATS AND OILS.
Foods which do not contain a large amount of fat are excellent
when put up in oil, sterilized and sealed to prevent the oil from
becoming rancid. A coating of oil is also frequently used to
preserve foods by the exclusion of air. This method has been
used largely abroad where birds are dried and saturated with
oil ; goose-livers similarly treated are sold as "pate-de-foie-
gras." These products are considered great delicacies. In Italy
wine is often covered with oil to prevent bacterial action, and in
Arctic regions many kinds of meat are preserved in this way.
Possibly the most common food on our market put up in oil is the
sardine although tuna fish, salmon, mushrooms, truffles and arti-
chokes are also important products.
The name sardine was originally given to a variety of fish
found in the Mediterranean near the Island of Sardinia but the
commercial usage now includes several varieties, the French
sardine being the young of the pilchard, and the American,
young herring.
During the process of manufacture the fish are carefully
sorted into sizes, cleaned, placed in brine, washed in fresh water,
dried in the open on trays, immersed in oil, boxed and sterilized.
Olive and peanut oils are largely used abroad while cottonseed
is frequently substituted, especially in the United States. As a
rule the French sardine receives greater care in the manufacture
and is supposed to improve with age caused by the blending of
fish, oil and flavoring.
This method of preservation is used in Germany in the manu-
facture of sausages. In the German market, two types of sau-
sage can be found : those so rich in fat that they can be kept
for some time; and those which are lean and must depend upon
the preservative influence of the high content of spices. The
casing in both types is more or less impervious to any material.
USE OF SPICES.
Spices were originally added to food to change or modify the
flavor, but it has been found that they exercise a powerful pre-
servative effect. See Chapter XXII. Spices.
268 FOOD INDUSTRIES
ALCOHOL.
Alcohol makes protein matter insoluble thus killing bacterial
life. For this reason it is used largely in preserving biological
specimens. To a slight extent it is also used for foods. Fruits
of all seasons can be put up in an alcohol solution and preserved
indefinitely.
USE OF PRESERVATIVES.
It is well known that certain chemicals when added to food
have a restraining influence upon bacteria, yeast and molds
which are associated with its decomposition. Some simply pre-
vent the further development, others act as strong bactericidal
agents. In the early days of the canning industry, they were
largely used but modern methods of sanitation and sterilization
by heat have proved so much more reliable and less expensive,
that manufacturers of legitimate products have now almost en-
tirely abandoned their use, regardless of the Pure Food Law.
The harmful nature of these chemical compounds has been ar-
gued for and against for a long period. At the present time prob-
ably all agree that their use is absolutely unnecessary for goods
that are to be consumed within a short period. There is still,
however, much discussion as to using them in such products as
chili-sauce, ketchup, apple butter and other foods classed as rel-
ishes. These products have been cooked thus making them more
susceptible to bacterial action after being opened. The claim is
made that the housekeeper through careless handling frequently
spoils food that the manufacturer has taken so much trouble to
preserve. The prohibition of all preservatives would be as un-
satisfactory to the consumer as to the producer. At the present
time benzoate of soda is allowed by the Federal Government, it
having been determined as not being poisonous or deleterious to
health. When used each container must bear a label stating the
amount. Although the government does not limit the quantity,
one-tenth of I per cent, is employed by manufacturers. The use
of salicylic acid or its salts is now forbidden. Rideal claims that
the salts are irritating to the kidneys and distinctly antagonistic
to most enzymes, especially starch digesting ferments. Neither
FOOD INDUSTRIES 269
can one part in a thousand always be relied upon as experiments
have proved.
Arguments advanced in favor of their use are :
1st, These antiseptics are harmless when used in small amounts.
One part benzoate of soda in 1,000 is not injurious and may be
beneficial in warding off intestinal diseases ; 2nd, they are found
occurring naturally in many of our fruits, such as currants,
cranberries, raspberries and crab-apples; 3rd, these antiseptics
are frequently developed during manufacturing processes es-
pecially where sterilization by high temperatures is necessary.
Arguments against their use :
1 st, They are not violent poisons, but some are believed to be
undesirable as they are antif ermentatives so interfere with the
digestive ferments ; 2nd, they are irritants so are apt to injure
the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestinal canal; 3rd,
the blood has for its chief function oxidation. These compounds
interfere with the oxidizing function of the blood; 4th, the
amount is not always small.
Possibly the strongest reasons for prohibiting their use are
that it may lead to carelessness in manufacturing processes and
to the use of inferior material. Neither can they be regarded as
"cure-alls" for they do not affect ptomaines which cause disease.
Artificial Stveetening. — Saccharine has been largely used for
sweetening syrups, preserves, jams, jellies, canned goods and
similar products. It is a glistening white powder resembling
sugar, but with a much greater sweetening power, thus making
it a cheaper agent to use. Saccharine is obtained by the oxida-
tion of one of the coal tar products and has no food value. It
is believed to be an irritant so its use has been forbidden.
Artificial Coloring. — The employment of artificial coloring in
connection with food has been practiced for the past fifty years.
The colors have included animal, vegetable and mineral dyes for
a long period and recent years have added an innumerable num-
ber of coal tar dyes to the list. The animal and vegetable dyes
have included cochineal, annatto, turmeric, logwood, saffron and
carrot juice, which are generally supposed to be harmless. At
present the only mineral dyes being used to any extent are copper
27O FOOD INDUSTRIES
sulphate in green vegetables and fruit, oxide of iron in cocoa,
confectionery, condiments, sausages and the like and Prussian
blue in sugar refining.
Copper sulphate is generally considered to have a deleterious
effect on the consumer. There seems to be reason for the belief
that copper is a cumulative poison similar to lead and mercury,
hence it is wise to abstain from these products. The use of
copper is prohibited in Germany, Austria-Hungary and is limited
in many other European nations. Since the report of the Referee
Board of Consulting Scientific Experts the importation of cop-
pered vegetables has been forbidden in the United States.
The coal tar dyes are unlimited in variety and are used ex-
tensively in confectionery, jellies, jams, meat, dairy products,
wines and non-alcoholic beverages. Usually the amount is very
small rarely exceeding one part in one hundred thousand and
for this reason, it is almost impossible to form an opinion in
regard to whether or not they are injurious to health. While
such coloring matter may not be detrimental to the consumer,
the use is unfortunate for it enables the manufacturer to place
inferior goods upon the market for high grade material. Articles
of food are preferable in their natural color, and it is unfortu-
nate that the housewife so frequently chooses highly colored
goods thus encouraging the use of artificial coloring matter.
CHAPTER XX.
THE CANNING INDUSTRY.
Historical. — The process of food preservation by canning- was
invented in 1810 by Nicholas Appert of Paris. The underlying
principle of this method, the destruction of all life by means
of heat followed by the exclusion of air by hermetically sealing,
was established by the experimental work of Spallanzani, in
1765. By placing various nutritive liquids in tubes, sealing, and
boiling them for an hour, he discovered that the liquid remained
unchanged as long as the seal was unbroken.
During the wars of Napoleon, much dissatisfaction occurred
in regard to the food that his army was obliged to eat while on
the march. An investigation followed which led to the offering
of a prize of 12,000 francs to any man who could keep food
indefinitely in its natural condition without adding the preserva-
tives then in use which included salt, sugar, vinegar and smoke.
It was won by Appert who after long practical experience in
confectionaries, kitchens, breweries and distilleries, had been
working for many years along the line of food preservation.
Food material was placed in air tight containers after it had been
subjected to such a degree of heat that the contents had been
thoroughly sterilized. The apparatus used by Appert was neces-
sarily very crude but his discoveries laid the foundation for one
of the greatest industries of modern times.
About the same time, Peter Durand obtained a patent in Eng-
land for preserving meat, fruit and vegetables in tin cans, and
shortly after several other manufacturers introduced similar
methods. The theory upon which these men worked was, that
the oxygen contained in air was the destructive agent and its
exclusion alone would preserve food which had been cooked.
It was not until the time of Tyndall and Pasteur that the real
cause of putrefaction was understood. The industry was estab-
lished in the United States by Ezra Daggett, who after learning
the trade abroad, canned salmon, lobsters and oysters in New
York in 1819. Shortly afterward William Underwood started
2J2. FOOD INDUSTRIES
to pack tomatoes, and in 1837 Isaac Winslow began experiment-
ing with the canning of corn in Portland, Maine. Spreading
gradually throughout the east, canneries were finally introduced
into the middle west about the time of the breaking out of the
Civil War and within a year or two, we find their establishment
in California. The discovery of gold in the west gave the first
impetus to this industry for canned goods were used largely by
the 49ers, who found them a convenient form in which to carry
food material across the country. Again the industry was af-
fected in the early sixties by the discovery that canned goods
were vastly superior to dried food in palatability for army use.
The growth of the industry since that time has been very rapid
and at the present time canneries are scattered throughout the
United States. Along the Atlantic Coast large quantities of
vegetables, meat and fish are preserved. Oregon and Washing-
ton supply much of the salmon, Chicago packs largely meat,
while California furnishes fruit and vegetables of the highest
grade.
The rapid growth resulted in the formation of Associations
of Canners the development of which led to new and better
methods of making cans, great improvements in machinery,
skilled workers and much experimentation in regard to the best
methods of sterilization. In the latter work manufacturers have
been greatly assisted by scientific investigation.
While the United States puts out enormous quantities of certain
products, such as corn, tomatoes and salmon, European coun-
tries have a considerably larger variety of articles. Numerous
combination of mixed vegetables, meat and vegetables and meat
delicacies are placed on the market, one country alone having
canneries whose output includes several hundred different items.
The future possibilities of this industry both at home and abroad
are very great, if by rigid inspection only canned foods consisting
of good wholesome material, packed with proper care under sani-
tary conditions are placed upon the market.
Process. — As before stated the two principal points to be borne
in mind in the preservation of foods by canning are: — 1st, the
FOOD INDUSTRIES
273
destruction of all micro-organisms and their spores by means of
heat ; 2nd, the exclusion of air by hermetically sealing. As a rule
the can and food are sterilized at the same time but the details of
the process necessarily vary with different products and in
various canneries. Fruit and vegetables should be selected when
at their best, transported as quickly as possible to the factory
and immediately sorted for quality. They are washed, treated
according to the product and placed at once in cans. Care is
given that the cans are filled full, then closely covered with the
exception of a small hole for exit of steam. They are then
subjected to the temperature of boiling water or higher according
to the material. The hole is immediately closed with solder, the
cans reheated and allowed to cool. Some factories accomplish
Fig. 65.— Stock Boilers. (Courtesy of the Franco-American Food Co.)
the same result by means of a steam heated "exhaust box," which
withdraws part of the air in the filled cans before they are sent
to the capping department. With either method a partial vacuum
is formed within the can which causes the end to be depressed.
Should the process of sterilization be imperfect and bacteria or
spores be left within the can, fermentation soon begins and
18
274
FOOD INDUSTRIES
the formation of gas causes the top to bulge. Canned goods
are usually kept for one month and are then tested by striking
with the finger. Expert examiners are able to tell by the sound
if a partial vacuum still remains.
With the best manufacturers all cans which show the presence
of gas are thrown away. In some factories, however, they are
resterilized. This practice is dangerous as injurious products
may have developed which are not affected by reheating (Figs.
65 and 66).
Success of Canning. — There has been a great difference with
various foods in regard to successful canning:. Fruits are more
Fig. 66.— Sterilizing Process. (Courtesy of the Franco-American Food Co.)
subject to the attack of yeast and molds which are killed at a com-
paratively low temperature, so have given little trouble. Toma-
toes, corn and peas, however, have been successfully canned only
after much experimentation. Even after careful treatment and
sealing, these products have frequently undergone the putrefactive
changes that it was the purpose of canning to prevent. Through
FOOD INDUSTRIES 275
scientific investigation, the discovery was made that these vege-
tables are invaded with bacteria, the spores of which will resist
heat for a length of time. If when the can is sealed a single
spore remains capable of action complete destruction of the prod-
uct follows in the course of time. For a long period it 'was
thought impossible to can green corn, for that vegetable had given
the manufacturer more trouble than any other product. With the
aid of the bacteriologist the problem has been completely solved.
Corn is not only invaded by extremely resistant spore bearing
bacteria but the kernels are not easily penetrated by heat. Those
which lie next to the can are easily sterilized but the interior
layers do not heat readily. For this reason a thermometer is
usually put in the center of a test-can and the temperature is
carefully registered. It has been found necessary to use 250 F.
for 65 minutes in order to render all spores inert.
Regardless of the product the. success of canning depends on
the sanitary conditions which prevail throughout the factory, the
quality of the material and the rapidity with which it is handled.
Meat Products. — In the canning of meat the fore-quarter as a
rule is used, the hind-quarter selling better as fresh meat. Al-
though this may mean a poorer grade meat, it does not necessarily
indicate that it is any less healthy. Before sterilization meat is
usually cut into uniform pieces, as different sizes would mean
disintegration of the smaller pieces, before the larger ones are
cooked, thus giving a bad appearance to the finished product.
The meat is then par-boiled for 8-20 minutes to secure shrinkage
before being put in cans. The further processes of sterilization
and exclusion of air are quite similar to those used in other
canning industries.
A large variety of potted and deviled meat can also be found
on the market. As the process of manufacture is usually a trade
secret their exact composition is difficult to determine, but they
are largely composed of beef or pork, mixed with spices and
flavoring, the larger amount of condiments being used with the
deviled varieties.
Containers. — Manufacturers use either glass or tin in preserv-
ing. The preference usually is in favor of glass but it is a ques-
276 FOOD INDUSTRIES
tion whether this is warranted, except in certain products which
cannot be preserved to the best advantage in tin.
Advantages of Glass. — 1st, Food material such as fruit or vege-
tables look very attractive; 2nd, it contains no lead or other
dangerous material; 3rd, in the household it is much easier to
handle.
Disadvantages of Glass. — 1st, The jars to be strong must be
made of thick glass which is likely to break with a sudden change
of temperature. They also break easily if struck with a blow;
2nd, they cannot be handled with automatic machinery ; 3rd,
transportation is difficult on account of the weight and liability
to break. They occupy too much space; 4th, it is frequently
necessary to cover the glass with paper as light has a bleaching
effect on some products.
Caution. — When glass jars are used in the home they must
be made air tight. This is a difficult thing to do especially where
rubber bands are used. Old rubber bands have lost their elas-
ticity so are not safe to use. It pays to buy new ones. As sul-
phur has been used to impart elasticity and to keep the rubber
from sticking, the new bands should be moistened before using.
Advantages of Tin Containers. — 1st, They are light to handle
and occupy less space in storing and during transportation; 2nd,
they are less likely to break; 3rd, products are protected from
light; 5th, they are much easier to make air-tight; 5th, tin cans
cannot be refilled ; 6th, if a good quality of tin has been used and
the can carefully made there is no danger of poisoning.
Disadvantages of Tin Containers. — 1st, Tin cans are not prac-
tical for use in the household ; 2nd, they are dangerous if a poor
grade of tin has been used or the process of manufacture has
not been thoroughly carried out; 3rd, with such products as
raspberries, cherries, plums and beets, they are not desirable as
the tin coating is attacked resulting in a loss of color, flavor and
quality. Salts of tin are also formed which are objectionable.
For the protection of these products a recent improvement has
been made by coating or lacquering the inside of the can. While
such coatings are not perfect, they are a step in advance and
further improvement will undoubtedly be made in the near future.
FOOD INDUSTRIES
277
According to work done by the United States Department of
Agriculture,* such products as corn, peas, beans and tomatoes
have little action on tin so a coating is unnecessary.
On the whole there is practically little risk now in the use of
tin as the manufacture of cans has greatly improved. They are
made of sheet iron which has been cleaned and rolled out to the
proper thickness, dipped into acid to remove oxide, put quickly
Fig. 67. — Can Closing Machines. (Courtesy of the Franco-American Food Co.)
into water then dried, after which the sheet is dipped quickly
into melted tin. Before being made into cans by machinery they
are carefully examined. If the oxide has not been removed the
tin will not stick, thus leaving the iron exposed to the action of
organic acids occurring in fruits and vegetables. All imperfectly
made sheets are rejected. The modern can is made with lock
seams and outside soldering (Fig. 67). As the sealing in many
cases is done by double seaming on the top no solder is used
* The Canning of Foods. Bulletin No. 151. Bureau of Chemistry.
278 FOOD INDUSTRIES
except on the side seam. This overcomes possible contamination
by solder in contact with food material. By a recent process the
so-called sanitary can is formed by machine, filled and closed
without the use of solder.
To insure the safe usage of products packed in tin, it is abso-
lutely necessary that the contents be removed from the tin after
the can has been opened, to avoid the effects of oxidation.
Adulteration. — Since modern methods of sterilization have been
employed, the use of preservatives in the canning industry has been
practically abandoned, as they simply add to the cost. Saccha-
rine, bleaches and coloring matter now constitute the chief adul-
terants. Saccharine has been frequently added to corn, toma-
toes and peas to disguise the fact that sweet varieties of the
garden vegetable were not used. A bleaching agent is frequently
employed to whiten corn, and peas and other green vegetables are
given a brighter green shade by the addition of copper salts. Dur-
ing canning and on standing peas are apt to lose part of the
chlorophyl through oxidation processes, which give them a yellow-
ish appearance. Copper salts will unite with the nitrogenous
constituents of the peas to form a compound with a brilliant
green, thus restoring the original color, although the shade lacks
the delicacy of the natural green. The coloring of peas is largely
practiced in France, but as a rule is not used by American can-
ners (see page 270). Very little adulteration has been found
in tomatoes except the addition of coloring matter, such as coch-
ineal or coal tar dye. The artificial coloring has been used to
make inferior material appear as mature and high grade tomatoes.
The adulteration of canned meat is probably more often prac-
ticed than with vegetables, but it has been found by no means
common by the Bureau of Chemistry. It consists largely in the
substitution of cheaper meats and fat and the addition of starch
to increase bulk and weight. Coloring matter and preservatives
as borax and boracic acid are still occasionally found.
CHAPTER XXI.
TEA, COFFEE AND COCOA.
TEA.
Historical. — According to the writings of an ancient Chinese
author, the virtues of tea were known in the Orient some 2,700
years before the Christian era. Many legends exist as to the
original home, some claiming that it was first grown in China,
while others speak of its introduction into that kingdom from
one of the neighboring provinces of India.
For a long period it seems to have been used as a medicine
rather than as a beverage. Gradually growing in popularity,
however, it eventually became a national drink and the cultiva-
tion of the tea plant for this purpose grew to be an important in-
dustry in China, Japan, India and Ceylon.
It was not until the latter part of the 16th century that the
ships of the Dutch East India Co., in their voyages to the Orient,
carried back to Holland some of the curiosities of the Eastern
World, one of them being Chinese tea. Knowledge of it finally
passed over to England and in 1657, we hear of the first tea-house
being opened in Exchange Alley, London. For many years the
price per pound was so high that tea was looked upon as a rare
luxury, but by the latter part of the 17th century it was being
imported from China in such large amounts, that it "ceased to be
a rarity. As the price lowered the annual consumption grew
until at the present time Great Britain uses considerably more
than one-half of the world's total production. Tea was intro-
duced into the colonies as early as 1680, the price at that time
being five or six dollars per pound for the cheapest varieties.
Cultivation of the Tea Plant. — The tea plant is a hardy ever-
green shrub, which grows to a height of from twelve to fifteen
feet in the wild state, but under cultivation it is usually dwarfed
in order to stimulate the greatest possible growth of the young
shoots. These yield the tender new leaves so desirable in tea-
making. It will grow in a variety of climates, but the sub-trop-
28o
FOOD INDUSTRIES
ical appears to be the best, especially in sections where the rain-
fall approximates fifty inches annually. The plant is usually
Fig. 68.— The Tea Plant. (Courtesy of McCorraick & Co., Baltimore, Md.)
placed on a southern exposure, so the sunshine will protect it
from cold, and in soil which has a certain water-retaining prop-
erty. In China most of the tea gardens are small, each farmer
FOOD INDUSTRIES 28 1
producing - enough for the consumption of his own family, while
the surplus is sent to the market. Following this idea, the United
States Department of Agriculture has strongly recommended the
growing of tea on the farms of the South Atlantic and Gulf
States. With very little trouble and expense the southern farmer
could at least raise enough tea for his own use, while the plant
itself makes a hedge well worth cultivating for purely ornamen-
tal purposes. Farmers Bulletin, No. 301, "Home Grown Tea"
gives many ideas as to the successful cultivation and manufac-
ture of tea in the United States.
In modern methods of cultivation, the plants are raised from
seeds in nurseries and are set out in their permanent home in
the open when about twelve inches high. According to climate,
soil, etc., the first crop is borne in three or four years, and from
that time, the shrub may be picked at regular intervals. It is
customary to occasionally allow the plant to rest thus insuring a
longer life.
General Classification. — The differences in the tea appearing
on the market do not depend upon the variety of shrub, but
rather on the size of the leaf and the way in which it is treated
during manufacturing processes. According to the method of
curing it is designated as : —
Black tea, which has a dark, dull appearance.
Green tea, which has a rather brilliant tinge due to the retention
of part of the chlorophyl.
For a long period, China so jealously guarded her tea gardens,
that her green and black teas were supposed by foreign nations,
to be produced from different species of shrub. That this idea
was false was finally proved by Robert Fortune, who traveled
in China on behalf of the Horticultural Society of Great Britain.
Tea is also classified according to the size of the leaf (Fig. 69).
1 st. Pekoe, which consists of the three young shoots at the tip
and are known as flowery pekoe, orange pekoe and pekoe acord-
ing to their size. As these leaves contain the least fiber and the
most juice, they produce the finest grade of tea.
2nd. Souchong is prepared from the leaves immediately below
282
FOOD INDUSTRIES
the pekoe variety and makes a tea of popular price. Pekoe and
souchong are sometimes mixed when the product is known as
pekoe-souchong.
3rd. Congou is a cheaper variety prepared from the more fully
developed leaves below the souchong size. In the American
2l //
C, /^e/foc c/, "SlscAo-rro (f irsf J
of & (rrr/xcc/J fe/(x>c j c?.£>,c.c/. e
a on
/e/*Coe - *5o
'oc/c /? o r? <9
Fig. 69.
market this term is sometimes used as a general name for China
black teas and souchong for China green teas.
4th. Bohea is a name frequently applied to any larger leaf
used for tea-making than the congou variety. This tea is no
longer found on our market.
FOOD INDUSTRIES
283
Processes of Manufacture.-
Black Tea
Leaves picked.
Withered in the sun.
Rolled until soft.
Fermented.
Fired.
Sorted.
Picking. — The tea leaves
are
operation generally being carried
Green Tea
Leaves picked.
Withered in pans.
Rolled until soft.
Withered again.
Sweated in bags.
Slowly roasted,
plucked entirely by hand, the
on by women and children. In
Fig. 70.— Withering Tea Reaves. (Courtesy of The Spice Mill Publishing Co.)
China and Japan there are several harvests. The first picking
commences about the middle of April and gives delicate pale
green leaves, which usually command a high price. About two
weeks later, the bush is again ready to be plucked and again a
third and fourth picking follow, each harvest yielding leaves a
little lower in quality. In Ceylon where there is practically no
winter, picking takes place about every ten or twelve days the
year round.
Withering. — Whether small or large the leaves are of the same
284
FOOD INDUSTRIES
general structure. All consist of a certain amount of fibrous
material which must be softened by rolling. In order to make
this operation easier the leaves are first withered, either indoors
or by exposure to the sun, until part of the moisture has evap-
orated (Fig. 70). In good weather this operation takes about
eighteen to twenty-four hours but when cloudy or rainy, artificial
heat must be used and a longer time is required. Withering not
only softens the leaves, but assists in the production of the
greatest amount of enzyme which is needed in the later operation
of fermentation.
Fig. 71.— Rolling Tea L,eaves. (Courtesy of The Tea and Coffee Trade Jout nal.)
Rolling. — In China, rolling is still done very largely by hand
(Fig. 71). The worker gathers a quantity of leaves in his hands
and rolls and kneads the mass with a very similar motion to that
used in the kneading of dough. In India the withered leaves
are rolled almost entirely by machinery. This operation bruises
the leaves, takes out excess moisture, and gives the characteristic
twist to the leaf.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 285
Fermentation. — Fermentation is the most important part of the
preparation of black tea, for its influence on the quality and
character of the tea is very great. The rolled leaves are piled
in heaps on mats or frames and allowed to ferment until they turn
a bright copper tint. During this period, the tea leaves are sub-
jected to the influence of enzyme action and important chemical
changes take place. The green color of the leaves and the dis-
agreeable odor disappear, and a fine flavor due to the development
of essential oils is acquired in proportion to the amount of enzyme
in the leaf. According to the investigations of Dr. H. H. Mann
"The tannin is oxidized during fermentation and combines with
other substances in the leaf-forming compounds, some of which
are insoluble in water; there is, therefore, a decrease in soluble
tannin." Experienced judgment is necessary to determine how
far fermentation should proceed; too little means rawness and if
carried too far, much of the delicate flavor is lost.
Firing. — Fermentation is checked by the application of heat.
The leaves are sometimes exposed to the sun then fired or they
may be immediately fired, care being taken that the temperature
is sufficiently high to remove moisture, but not high enough to
drive off the volatile oils which have been developed during
curing.
Sorting. — After cooling, tea is sorted into grades by sifting,
packed into lead-lined chests and is ready for transportation.
Green Tea. — The preparation of green tea differs from that
of black tea in several important operations.
1st, The method of drying is different. While black tea is
withered in the sun, the leaves for green tea in Japan are steamed
until they lose their elasticity and in China are heated in pans
over charcoal fires. In a few minutes the leaves become soft
and pliable and are ready to be rolled.
2nd, After rolling, the leaves are again subjected to the action
of a slow, steady fire, the process of fermentation being omitted.
The chlorophyl is therefore more or less retained and tannins
are not oxidized to insoluble forms. This means that a larger
amount of tannic acid is found in green tea when used as a
286 FOOD INDUSTRIES
beverage. The difference in flavor is entirely due to fermenta-
tion.
Adulteration. — In former years when tea was expensive and
investigation slack there was much fraud practiced, especially in
the Chinese varieties. The adulteration consisted chiefly in the
addition of foreign leaves and in facing. The leaves of the ash,
beech, willow, rose and buckthorn were frequently mixed with
those of the tea plant. Substitution of this kind can readily be
detected with the microscope as tea leaves have a characteristic
appearance. Facing consisted in treating the leaves with various
coloring matter, such as Prussian blue, indigo or plumbago. By
such means leaves which were inferior or had been damaged in
manufacturing processes or during a sea voyage, could be im-
proved in color and general appearance. As black tea does not
need as much care in preparation for the market, attempts were
also made to face such tea and sell it for green tea.
Since laws have been passed prohibiting the importation of
faced tea, there is practically no adulteration to be found in the
tea sold in the United States. Tea growers are more carefully
watched, government inspection is more rigid and competition
is much greater than in the past. For a long period the Chinese
were the chief exporters to this country, but the rapid growth
in the popularity of the India and Ceylon teas has forced China
to send better grades to hold her place in the American market.
Tea as a Beverage. — The main constituents of tea to be con-
sidered in the preparation of the beverage are caffein and tannic
acid. Caffein is the ingredient which gives the stimulating prop-
erty. It belongs to a class of substances known as alkaloids.
Just below the boiling point of water it is remarkably soluble.
Tannic acid is not particularly soluble at the boiling point but
will become so on prolonged boiling. These two facts must be
taken into account when preparing the beverage. Caffein is ■ a
mild stimulant and is desired while tannic acid so far as possible
should be avoided.
General Eules for Tea-Making. — Heat freshly drawn water to
the boiling point. Pour it on the requisite amount of tea, which
has been placed in a previously scalded pot, made of non-con-
FOOD INDUSTRIES 287
ducting material. Allow to stand in contact with the leaves from
three to five minutes. The spent leaves should not be used again.
Practically all the stimulating ingredient has been removed and
that which is left is deleterious to health. Tea should never be
boiled; the delicate aroma is lost as the essential oils volatilize.
Boiling also makes soluble the tannin, too much of which is un-
desirable.
Composition of the Beverage. — Beside caffein, tannic acid and
volatile oil, tea contains minute amounts of nitrogenous matter,
fat, dextrin, fiber and mineral matter.
COFFEE.
Historical. — The early history of the cultivation of the coffee
bean is lost in antiquity, but it is to Arabia that the civilized
world is indebted for the knowledge of its use as a beverage.
Tradition gives various tales of the introduction of coffee into
Arabia, one of which places the original home in the province of
Caffa, Abyssinia, from which it is supposed to have received its
name. The Ethiopians were known to have used coffee in very
early ages, but with that nation it appears to have served as a
food rather than a beverage. Wherever the origin may have been
Europeans discovered its use in Arabia during the 15th century.
Undoubtedly the knowledge of it spread very largely through the
Arabian merchantmen who added the coffee bean to other orien-
tal luxuries, and to the Mohammedan pilgrims who flocked an-
nually to Mecca. Learning to drink coffee while in the "Sacred
City," these pilgrims carried back with them saddle-bags of the
coffee bean to all parts of the globe professing the faith of Islam.
Coffee reached Constantinople in the 16th century and spread
from there to the countries bordering on the Mediterannean, fin-
ally being introduced into London, Paris and other European
cities during the 17th century.
Originally all of the coffee used in Europe was grown in
Arabia. As much of it passed through the port of Mocha it was
known under the name of Mocha coffee. Later coffee was grown
in the European colonies, in the French West Indies and on the
island of Java. Its cultivation soon spread to Sumatra, the
288
FOOD INDUSTRIES
Malay Archipelago, Ceylon, the Philippine and Hawaiian Islands
and in the Western World to Cuba, Porto Rico, Mexico, and parts
of Central and South America. About 1740 it was planted in
Brazil where it gradually grew to be so important an industry,
that at the present time Brazilian plantations produce three-
quarters of the total supply and that government controls the
coffee market of the world.
The Coffee Plant. — The coffee plant is a very beautiful tree
attaining a native growth of some 18-20 feet, but under culti-
vation it is rarely allowed .to exceed 4-6 feet in height. This
dwarfing the plant increases the crop and facilitates picking.
The leaves are a fresh green color expanding outward and down-
Fig. 72.— Coffee Bean.
ward giving a very pleasing appearance. The flowers occurring
in clusters are white in color and have an odor strongly resem-
bling jasmine. The flowers and fruit which are frequently called
"the cherries" are found on the tree at the same time and in all
seasons, in various stages of development. It is from these
cherries which turn a dark crimson color on ripening, that the
coffee bean is obtained. The outer part of the cherry is fleshy
similar to other fruit, while within are usually two seeds, laid
face to face, covered by a very delicate membrane known as the
"silver skin" and an outer straw colored husk called "the parch-
ment" (Fig. 72). The main processes of manufacture consist in
freeing the fruit from the pulpy matter and removing the two
inner skins which surround the seeds. These seeds are in reality
the unroasted coffee bean of commerce. Occasionally a single
bean occurs, common to all varieties of coffee, in which case it
Food industries 289
is called "pea-berry" and is supposedly of finer quality than
the split beans.
Cultivation. — The coffee trees thrive best in rich, well-irri-
gated soil and in tropical climate where the rainfall exceeds 75
inches per annum. They are propagated from seeds, which are
planted directly in the fields or grown in wicker baskets in nur-
series until 18 inches high, when they are transferred to their
permanent homes in the open. An absence of frost is essential
to the growth of the plant and protection from wind and sun is
commonly given by planting shade trees between the young coffee
trees. The first crop of any importance is born when the plant
is from 4 to 5 years old, and with care harvesting may be con-
tinued at regular seasons for 20 years or more. The fruit is
ready to be picked when it is dark red in color strongly resemb-
ling a ripe, red cherry.
Processes of Manufacture. — Harvesting. — In Arabia the fruit
is allowed to remain on the tree until it falls off of its own
accord, but on Brazilian plantations, which are by far the largest
in the world, the cherries are usually picked by hand. They
are allowed to fall directly on the ground or on sheets from which
they are later raked together, and a first rough sorting is given
before they are packed in bags to be removed to where further
treatment is given. There a more careful sorting, sifting and
winnowing take place, and the berries are at once treated with the
dry or wet method for removal of the pulp.
Dry Method. — The berries are spread out on drying grounds;
where they are left exposed to the sun for two or three weeks,
during which time fermentation takes place and the pulpy mass,
gradually dries. It can then be removed by pounding in a mortar
or by passing through a hulling machine. This method is still'
used in Arabia and to some extent on the modern plantations of
Brazil, many planters claiming that it has advantages over the-
modern wet process.
Wet Method. — Where the wet process is used inclined canal's
are frequently built, where the cherries can be dumped and
carried by gravity to the pulping machine. While floating down
19
290
FOOD INDUSTRIES
imperfect and unripe berries rise to the top and can readily be
removed, after which the well developed berries are washed with
fresh water.
Pulping. — The pulping machines are of various types, but as a
rule they consist of a revolving cylinder with a rough surface
which faces a curved metal plate. The berry is crushed between
the two surfaces in such a manner that the pulp only is separated.
The interior consisting of the coffee beans with the two coverings
must not be injured. A separation is made by sifting and all im-
perfectly pulped must be reprocessed.
Fig. 73.— Views of Coffee Cultivation and Industry of Brazil. Washing Tanks.
(Courtesy of The Spice Mill Publishing Co.)
Fermentation. — The beans are next allowed to ferment for
twenty-four to seventy-two hours in order to soften and loosen
any adherent pulp. The essential part of this process is enzyme
action on the adhesive substance, but as to its effect on the flavor
of the coffee, no full investigation has as yet been made.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 29 1
Washing and Drying. — Successive rinsings with water finally
leave the parchment covering quite free from adherent pulp. It
is now known as "parchment coffee" and must be subjected to
a drying process in order to remove the two inner coats by
friction. Coffee is dried in most places out-of-doors on the
ground, during which time it is carefully watched. Too slow
or too rapid drying greatly injures the flavor of the coffee.
Peeling. — The two coverings can now be readily loosened by
an ingenious machine which cracks the parchment and inner skin
without injuring the beans. The hulls and dust are separated by
winnowing, leaving the coffee 'beans clean and ready for sorting.
Sorting and Packing. — In order to secure uniformity the beans
are separated into six to eight grades. They are sorted first,
according to size, by sifting through various mesh sieves ; second,
according to weight by being subjected to strong currents of air
blowing upward. The coffee is then bagged ready for removal
to the shipping port, at which place it is frequently blended and
repacked before shipment.
As coffee deteriorates after roasting that process is usually
carried on in the country where it is to be consumed. On arrival
at the coffee-house the raw bean is subjected to a thorough cleans-
ing process to remove all foreign matter.
Roasting. — The cleaned beans are run into a revolving oven
and are subjected to a temperature of 200 C. In the production
of a good coffee this is one of the most important steps. Count
Rumford in an essay published in 1812 says — "Great care must
be taken in roasting coffee, not to roast it too much ; as soon as it
has acquired a deep cinnamon color, it should be taken from the
fire and cooled; otherwise much of its aromatic flavor will be
dissipated and its taste will become disagreeably bitter. The
progress of the operation and the moment most proper to put an
end to it, may be judged and determined with great certainty;
not only by the changes which take place in the color of the grain
but also by the peculiar fragrance which will first begin to be
diffused by it when it is nearly roasted enough. This fragrance
is certainly owing to the escape of a volatile, aromatic substance
292
FOOD INDUSTRIES
which did not originally exist as such in the grain, but which is
formed in the process of roasting it."
When a light cinnamon brown is desired, coffee is allowed to
remain in the oven for thirty minutes and from thirty-five to
forty minutes, if a heavy chocolate color is wanted. It is then
quickly cooled by blasts of cold air and is ready to be bagged or
boxed for the market (Fig. 74).
The effect of roasting is both physical and chemical. The
physical state of the bean is changed to a brittle form, in which
Fig. 74. — General View of Coffee Roasting Room. (Courtesy of the Spice Mill
Publishing Co.)
it can more easily be ground or pulverized. Two very important
chemical changes also take place; first, the formation of caramel
which greatly improves the taste — this flavor can readily be
imitated in the production of coffee substitutes ; second, the pro-
duction of an oil known as caffeol to which the aroma of roasted
coffee is due. As this oil is volatile, coffee should be consumed
as quickly as possible after roasting and should never be pulver-
ized until the time of the preparation of the beverage.
During the roasting operation there is also an appreciable
FOOD INDUSTRIES 293
amount of the alkaloid caffein which volatilizes, consequently, in
some of the most improved coffee roasting establishments, the
vapor developed during the operation is thoroughly cooled for
the purpose of recovering the caffein. By subjecting coffee to
a long continued roasting at low temperatures, practically all of
the caffein present in the bean volatilizes and is recoverable.
Coffee roasted by this method has been sold in the bean under
the name of caffein-free coffee. When treated in this manner,
however, it lacks some of the flavor of the ordinary product.
Adulteration. — Adulteration of coffee has consisted in the ad-
dition of foreign matter, the substitution of cheaper substances,
in facing and glazing. As with tea facing, the addition of color-
ing matter has been used largely to conceal poor or damaged
coffee or to make inferior varieties appear as high grade material
Glazing consists in the addition of graphite, charcoal, ultra-ma-
rine, Prussian blue, talc, shellac and similar substances for the
purpose of preventing the loss of aroma. It must be remembered,
however, that such material adds weight to the coffee. Liebig
suggested the use of sugar which if added when hot would glaze
and protect it. In former years an imitation bean was manufac-
tured and occasionally mixed with coffee, but the price of coffee
is too low at present to make such substitution profitable. The
addition of foreign substances was much more practiced with
ground coffee than that sold in the bean form, since they could
be less readily detected. Cereals of various kinds, peas, beans,
acorns and the like have from time to time been added, but the
chief adulterant has been found to be chicory which is the kiln
dried root of the wild endive.
In recent years misbranding has been found more frequently
than adulteration. The early coffee market drew its supply
almost entirely from Arabia and from the islands of Java and
Sumatra. These coffees were known on the market as Mocha
and Java. As the coffee industry spread, there was a strong
tendency to label the product from new coffee fields as Mocha
and Java, since those two names had taken a firm hold in the
minds of the housewife. The passing of the Food and Drugs
Act of June 30, 1906, has made this also a misdemeanor. Al-
294 FOOD INDUSTRIES
though undoubtedly much coffee is still on the market not prop-
erly labeled, there is a strong tendency now on the part of the
manufacturers, as well as the government, to have coffee im-
ported under its own name.
Coffee as a Beverage. — One of the most important constituents
of coffee and the ingredient to which it owes its stimulating
effect, is the alkaloid caffein. It is the same substance as is
found in tea but occurs in a rather smaller proportion, approxi-
mately i to 2 per cent, being found in the unroasted bean. Tannic
acid is also found with a larger amount of other substances such
as fat, gum, fiber, sucrose, dextrin, reducing sugar and mineral
matter. As coffee contains volatile oils, every effort should be
made to retain them, in the preparation of the beverage, or much
of the aroma and flavor will be lost.
Coffee Extracts. — In recent years, products have been found
on the market called coffee extracts. They consist essentially of
a coffee solution from which the water has been evaporated in
vacuo and the resulting mass, dried and ground. When added
to boiling water they are supposed to have the original consis-
tency of coffee solution.
Coffee Substitutes. — See Chapter VI, page 85.
COCOA.
Historical. — Cocoa was not known to the European nations until
after the discovery of the Western World. On his return from
the third voyage to America, Columbus was supposed to have
carried back with him to Spain the cocoa bean, as a curiosity from
the newly discovered land. It was introduced into Europe in
1528 by Cortez after his conquest of Mexico. The explorer
found the natives of the new land using the roasted bean, ground
and mixed with maize meal, moistened with the sweet juice of the
maize stalk and flavored with vanilla and various spices. It was
known to them as chocolatl and was considered to be highly
nutritious as well as a beverage of great delicacy. Evidently
it was also held in high esteem by the Europeans for the tree
from which the fruit is obtained, was known to them as "Theo-
broma, — food for the Gods." Although so highly prized, the use
FOOD INDUSTRIES
295
of cocoa spread very gradually in Europe and it is not until recent
years, that it has grown considerably in popularity. Possibly
this is due to the fact that tea is used so extensively in the
British Isles and coffee in the continental countries. Cocoa was
first introduced into the States by the fishermen of Gloucester,
and its use has increased to so great an extent that one-fifth of
the world's crop is now consumed in the United States.
Cultivation. — Cocoa is the fruit of a tropical tree commonly
known as the cocoa tree although it belongs botanically to the
Fig- 75-— Pods and Reaves.
(Copyrighted by Walter Baker & Co., and used with their permission.)
species cacao, the most commonly used being the variety theo-
broma cacao. Thriving only in tropical climate, 20 both north
and south of the equator, its cultivation is very limited. Only
those localities of America and Africa with their neighboring
islands that have well-watered, well-drained soils and plenty of
rainfall, can be utilized for the growing of the tree. The West-
ern World produces by far the largest part of the world's crop,
Venezuela, Ecuador and Brazil being the largest exporting coun-
tries. Mexico still produces the greatest amount of cocoa but
uses most of it for her own consumption.
296
FOOD INDUSTRIES
The cocoa tree is grown from seeds either planted directly in
the fields or in nurseries. It attains an average height of about
20-30 feet and bears small, red, wax-like flowers which appear
either singly or in clusters, along the trunk and main branches of
the tree. The fruit is a pod some 8-10 inches long, 3-4 inches
thick (Fig. 75). It is when ripe, either lemon color or chocolate
brown, according to the variety, and has a thick tough rind en-
closing a mass of cellular tissue. Embedded in the pulpy matrix
are .some forty or more cocoa beans which are covered with a
thin shell greatly resembling an almond (Fig. 76). The beans
Fig. 76. — Section Cocoa Fruit.
are arranged in five longitudinal rows. The tree begins to bear
fruit when four or five years old and continues to the age of
forty. While blossoms and fruit are to be found on the tree
at the same time and in all seasons, there are two main crops
gathered yearly, generally in June and December, although this
condition varies in different localities.
Processes of Manufacture. — Picking. — The pods are picked
when fully ripe, either by hand or with a knife fastened to a
long, bamboo pole. Great care is necessary that the buds and
blossoms which lie next the fruit are not injured.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 297
Decomposition of Pod. — As the rind of the pods when picked
is exceedingly woody and tough and would be difficult to cut,
they are laid on the ground in heaps and allowed to decompose
for twenty-four hours, or until the rind has become leathery.
They are then sorted according to the degree of ripeness and
are cut open with a sharp cutlass. The pulp and cocoa beans
still within their shell can readily be removed.
Fermentation. — As a considerable amount of the soft pulp
still clings to the beans, it is necessary in order to free them, to
allow fermentation to take place. This process is carried out by
heaping the beans on the floor where they are allowed to sweat,
by burying them, or by the use of enclosed sweating boxes where
they remain for several days. The seeds are frequently turned
to insure regular sweating, great care being also given to keep
the temperature from rising too high. Both alcoholic and acetic
fermentation take place and several important changes occur.
The germinating power of the seed is arrested; the adherent
pulp is loosened; color develops and an exceedingly bitter taste
is modified so the flavor is greatly improved; the beans are less
liable to be attacked by mold and are in the best form for dry-
ing.
Washing and Drying.— When fermentation is complete the
beans are sometimes washed before drying. Washing is carried
out by placing them in sieves or troughs, where they are thor-
oughly scrubbed and rinsed, to remove all pulpy matter that
may be clinging to them. Whether they are washed or not, the
cocoa bean must pass through a drying process. This is accom-
plished by the heat of the sun, whenever possible, or in drying
houses which are heated by artificial means. In out-of-door
drying some ten days or more are required, indoor drying is
complete in less time. In some countries coloring matter is used
and the practice of polishing the bean after drying is frequently
performed. The cocoa is now ready to be bagged and shipped
to the markets of the world.
When received by the manufacturer cocoa is cleaned, sorted
and roasted.
298
FOOD INDUSTRIES
Roasting. — As in the case of coffee, this process must be care-
fully guarded to insure the development of the desired flavor;
too much heat means bitterness and too little leaves the cocoa
with a crude undeveloped taste. The process is usually carried
out in large iron drums, heated to I25°-I45° C. and con-
stantly kept in motion. During the roasting the thin husks of
the seeds become brittle and are so loosened, that afterwards they
can easily be removed ; the aroma is increased ; the bitter taste
is still further modified and the starch is partially dextrinized.
When sufficiently roasted cocoa is quickly cooled in order to
prevent the loss of the aroma.
Fig. 77. — Grinding Room.
(Copyrighted by Walter Baker & Co. and used with their permission.)
Crushing. — The roasted seeds are next run through a machine
called the cracker. This frees the outer shell from the inner
parts which are known as cocoa nibs. A separation of shells,
nibs and germs is effected by sieves and a machine of special
device. As the shells retain the flavor they are sold and used
for the preparation of a cheap beverage. The nutritive value is
FOOD INDUSTRIES 299
not great but they make a satisfactory drink for people of weak
digestion. The cocoa nibs are used for the preparation of the
commercial chocolate and cocoa.
Preparation of Chocolate. — The cocoa nibs are ground into a
paste by a series of revolving stones, arranged in pairs and
slightly heated to assist in liquefying the cocoa. While in a semi-
fluid condition, the paste is moulded into cakes and allowed to
harden. It may be sold in this form as plain chocolate or the
ground nibs may be passed into a mixer and finely ground sugar,
spices, vanilla and other flavors may be incorporated. After
moulding, the product is placed on the market as sweet chocolate
or as milk chocolate, if condensed or powdered milk has also been
added.
Preparation of Cocoa. — As the cocoa nib is too rich in fat for
ordinary purposes, sometimes approximately one-half of the total
weight, it is customary to remove a portion of it. The product
is then known as cocoa. In the United States this is chiefly car-
ried on by running the ground nibs, while in the semi-liquid
form, directly from the grinder into an hydraulic press, which
removes some 60-70 per cent, of the fat. The mass is then allowed
to cool after which it is reduced to a powder and boxed. Foreign
manufacturers remove further amounts of fat from cocoa by
treatment with a watery alkali after which it is thoroughly
washed and neutralized. The use of alkali is generally defended
on the plea that it makes cocoa soluble but this statement is not
borne out by the facts. No market cocoa or chocolate is com-
pletely soluble but owing to the fine state of division of the
particles, it does not readily settle in the hot, thick liquid. Ameri-
can manufacturers do not generally favor this process. The ex-
tracted fat is clarified and made into cocoa-butter. As cocoa-
butter does not readily turn rancid if carefully stored, it is used
largely in pharmacy, for candy-making and in the preparation
of cosmetics, perfumes, pomades and soft toilet soaps.
Adulteration. — Cocoa preparations have been much subject to
adulteration. In order to increase the bulk and weight, sugar
and various starches have been frequently added, while sand,
300 FOOD INDUSTRIES
clay, the ground shells of the cocoa-bean, powdered roasted
acorns, chestnuts and other substances of organic and inorganic
origin have, from time to time, been found. Fats of cheaper
variety, such as lard or coconut oil, are used to restore the normal
percentage of fat after cocoa-butter has been removed. In
cheaper grades of chocolate, glucose is sometimes used in place
of sugar, while inferior flavorings and coloring matter are fre-
quently added.
As a Beverage. — Cocoa not only furnishes the material for a
refreshing and exhilarating beverage, but is a food of great
nutritive value. This may readily be seen by the average com-
position of the cocoa bean as given by Payen.
Fat '.'..' 50
Starch 10
Protein 20
Water 12
Cellulose 2
Mineral matter 4
Theobromine 2
Theobromine which is responsible for the stimulating effect of
cocoa is closely related chemically to the alkaloid caffein, which
occurs in tea and coffee and has a similar physiological effect.
The presence of so high a percentage of fat, protein and car-
bohydrate not only makes cocoa of greater nutritive value than
tea or coffee, but both soluble and insoluble portions become a
part of the beverage. This is not true of tea or coffee where
only the constituents soluble in hot water are obtained.
As chocolate is a concentrated food it frequently causes bili-
ousness when indulged in too freely.
Physiological Effect of Tea, Coffee and Cocoa. — The stimulating
effect of tea and coffee is due to the presence of caffein a pow-
erful drug which acts on the nervous system. The excessive use
of these beverages frequently results in nervousness, insomnia,
headache and indigestion ; disturbances of other organs may fol-
low. A limited use appears, however, to be harmless or may
even be beneficial to some people but they should never be given
to young children. Cocoa and chocolate contain a substance
similar to the caffein of tea and coffee, but is milder in its effects.
CHAPTER XXII.
SPICES AND CONDIMENTS.
The terms condiments and spices are applied to products which
possess no nutritive value, but are added to food to make it more
palatable and to stimulate digestion. They may be either organic
or inorganic. The words are confusing for the reason that many
of the bodies included under these headings are similar in chemi-
cal composition but all do not belong to the same series of
chemical compounds. Actually, the terms as employed describe
conditions of usage rather than composition. The word condi-
ment describes material which is used commonly in the daily diet
and covers all varieties of foods while spices are not so commonly
employed, being restricted largely to pastry, puddings, cakes and
the like. Condiments are represented by salt, pepper, mustard
and vinegar; spices, by cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, etc.
CONDIMENTS.
Sodium Chloride. — Sodium chloride or common salt, the most
necessary to man and used to the largest extent, is inorganic. It
appears to be the one item of food found in the diet of all nations
and every race from the earliest times, the chlorine being utilized
by the system in the formation of hydrochloric acid of the gastric
juice, while the sodium is needed in the production of the bile.
Its use is particularly important among people whose diet consists
largely of vegetables and vegetable products.
Salt is procured from natural deposits of sodium chloride in
the form of solid crystals, from natural or artificial brine wells
and from the sea by the process of evaporation. Formerly much
of our salt came from the Bahama Islands. These islands are
of coral origin and possess comparatively little vegetation. Small
pools can be found in many places where the sun in time evap-
orates the water, leaving a deposit of salt which could be sent to
the market. The product was known as Turks Island Brand.
Natural brine wells are underground streams which may be the
result of sweet water percolating through salt soil, or they may
have come from a body of salt water. Artificial brine wells have
302 FOOD INDUSTRIES
been made by man by running water into a salt deposit. The
brine may then be pumped to the surface which is an easier
method of obtaining the salt than by digging.
A large part of the salt on the American market to-day comes
from natural brine wells in the vicinity of Syracuse, New York,
and along the borders of Lake Erie. They were discovered as
early as 1654 by the French Jesuits, who found the Iroquois and
other Indian tribes making use of the salt. Michigan in the
southern part, Ohio and Kansas are also rich in saline deposits,
and much is procured from Utah on the shores of Great Salt
Lake.
The process of preparing salt for the market necessarily differs
according to its source. Where natural deposits occur salt is
mined by sinking a shaft and working similar to a coal mine.
The salt can be sent to the market just as it is mined, under the
name of rock-salt or it can be ground and screened. When salt
has been obtained by evaporation from the ocean or other body
of salt water it is usually quite impure so must be washed and
recrystallized. The method used to the greatest extent to-day,
consists in evaporating brine obtained from salt beds. The brine
is generally purified by concentrating until the less soluble con-
stituents, such as calcium sulphate, crystallize when .they can
readily be removed. The brine is then concentrated in pans either
by the sun's rays, direct heat or exhaust steam and sometimes in
vacuo. However obtained the crystals are drained, dried, sifted
into grades and packed.
Pepper. — Various spices can be found on the market under
the general head of pepper, but the most common forms are black
and white pepper. Pepper is one of the oldest spices known to
mankind and is still used in enormous quantities. Although it now
sells at so low a price that it may be utilized by comparatively
poor people, it was worth its weight in gold during the days of
the Roman Empire. The high price in the Middle Ages led the
Portuguese to seek a water route to the far east, and the first
vessel that sailed around the Cape of Good Hope had for its
object the finding of a cheaper way to procure pepper.
The black variety is prepared from the dried, unripe berry
FOOD INDUSTRIES
303
of a vine which was grown first in Southern India, the East
Indies, Siam, Cochin China and in later ages in the West Indies.
For a long period the Dutch nation controlled the trade and tried
to confine its cultivation to the Island of Java and other Dutch
possessions.
The berry is gathered before it is fully matured, is spread out
on mats for several days, after which the outer skin is removed
by rubbing with the hand. It is then cleaned by sifting and is
Fig 78.— Pepper Plantation near Singapore. (Courtesy of The Spice Mill Publishing Co.)
usually ground before being placed on the market. White pepper
is generally supposed to be produced from a different spice but
is in reality the same fruit, prepared by a different method. This
variety is obtained by decorticating or removing the dark skin
from the fully ripened black peppercorn, leaving a light colored
kernel which is pulverized, and forms the white pepper of com-
merce. White pepper is more expensive but has a more delicate
flavor than the whole pepper ground.
There are several varieties of red peppers, the cayennes which
have a sharp, acrid taste and the paprikas which are sweet and
304 FOOD INDUSTRIES
mild. Paprika is used in cooking for its color as well as flavor.
It is rapidly finding favor among American housewives.
Mustard. — The mustard most commonly used is obtained by
grinding to a flour the small seeds of the mustard plant. The
plant which may be found either in the wild state or under cul-
tivation has a wide distribution in Europe, northern Africa,,
Asia, the United States, the West Indies and South America.
It has been used for medicinal purposes from remote antiquity,
but appears to have been unknown as a condiment until 1829,
when a resident of Durham, England, placed it upon the market,
keeping the manufacturing process a secret. The product was
given the name of Durham Mustard, a brand which is still found
in the markets.
The two most common varieties of seeds used at the present are
brown and yellow in color, the brown yielding the highest grade
product. Mustard is prepared by passing the interior of the
seed through a winnowing machine, for the removal of foreign
material and crushing the grain between rollers, after which the
oil is removed by hydraulic pressure. The cake is then dried,
powdered and bottled. The powder is frequently mixed with
spices and oil when it is known as prepared mustard. Much
adulteration has been practiced in the preparation of mustard,
principally in the addition of wheat flour, cayenne pepper, etc.
Curry Powder. — Curry or curre powder is a very highly
seasoned condiment which has been used for many generations
in East India but has come into favor in the Western World
only in recent years. It consists chiefly of ground turmeric roots
highly flavored with cayenne pepper, ginger, and similar pungent
spices. Curry is usually applied to cooked dishes just before
serving.
Vinegar. — Vinegar is used very largely in connection with food,
the same as spices, to give flavor and as a preservative. Such
articles as pickles depend largely upon vinegar for their keeping
quality. It does not contain antiseptics as do the spices, but
owes its preservative value to the acetic acid which inhibits the
growth of putrefactive bacteria.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 305
The manufacture of vinegar has been treated under the Fer-
mentation Industries. See Chapter XIII.
SPICES.
Spices comprise all aromatic vegetable substances which may
be added to food, principally to make it more palatable. They
have been used from the earliest known eras of civilization and
have played an important part in the discovery of a water pas-
sage to the far east, in the colonization of the East Indies, and
in the opening up of these countries to western civilization and
to western trade.
The tropical parts of Asia have given to the world by far the
greatest variety and quantity of spices, such as pepper, cinna-
mon, nutmeg, mace, cloves, turmeric, ginger and cassia. The
tropical countries of America have added several new varieties to
the list, cayenne pepper being the most important. The West
Indies is celebrated for ginger and is also the home of the pi-
mento. From Africa, grains of Paradise are obtained.
All spice plants are grown in tropical climates, latitude 25 ° N.
and 25 ° S. of the equator, where there is considerable rainfall
and soil with water absorbing properties. Most of' these flavoring
plants are found on islands in close proximity to the sea. Spices
are obtained from different parts of the plant; dried fruit as
pepper, pimento, nutmeg, mace; dried bark as cinnamon and
cassia; flower buds as cloves; the root as ginger; seeds as cara-
way; leaves as sage, thyme, etc. Many of these owe their power
to essential oils which in some cases are extracted and used as
flavoring extracts. The flavor of others is due to esters and to
alkaloids.
Uses. — While the principal use of spices is to add flavor to
food and beverages this is by no means their only service to man.
Many are used in perfumery, in soap making and in the manu-
facture of incense. Several varieties are utilized in medicine
chiefly to disguise a disagreeable flavor; turmeric is used in dye-
ing and others in the various arts. In Egyptian days they were
utilized for embalming all the distinguished dead.
While spices have been used from early ages in connection
20
306 FOOD INDUSTRIES
with food for the sake of the various flavors that they yield,
it has been left to modern science to discover, that they also assist
in the preservation of the material to which they have been
added. This is due to the fact that they contain antiseptic prin-
ciples.
Spices as Preservatives. — That spices are useful as preservatives
may readily be detected with such food products as sausages
and mince meat. Mince meat as a rule has for its chief con-
stituents chopped meat and apples. Meat is subject to decay by
bacterial action and apples furnish an excellent food for mold
and yeast, yet it is a well known fact that mince meat will keep
for many months. Sausage meat is subject to rapid putrefaction
but in winter weather, it can be kept for a length of time on
account of the high content of spices. Fruit cake furnishes
another example, as it can be held for an indefinite period and
even improves with age. Spices do not furnish a complete pro-
tection, however, and food material to which they have been
added should not be allowed to stand in a warm place or fermen-
tation and decay will set in.
Although these facts have been common knowledge for many
years, very little experimental work has been done, as to the
varieties which contain the best antiseptic properties and the
amount which should be used. Unfortunately many of them
are irritating to the mucous membrane, and when used in excess
are harmful. It is very important therefore that the manu-
facturer and housewife should know which spices may be used
for their antiseptic properties and what the physiological effect
is of such condiments. To the experimental work of Conrad
Hoffman and Alice Evans, the authors are indebted for the fol-
lowing information.*
That ginger, black pepper and cayenne pepper do not prevent
the growth of micro-organisms but that cinnamon, cloves and
mustard are valuable preservatives. Nutmeg and allspice delay
growth but cannot be considered of any practical importance, since
the amount used in cooking is too small to preserve food for any
* The Use of Spices as Preservatives, by Conrad Hoffman & Alice Evans. Published
in Journal of Industrial & Engineering Chemistry.
FOOD INDUSTRIES
307
length of time. Cinnamon, cloves and mustard are almost equal
in their efficiency. Cloves when used in large enough amounts
to prevent growth have a burning taste to the palate, but cinnamon
and mustard are particularly valuable as they are palatable even
when used in proportions that prevent all growth. The active
antiseptic constituents of mustard, cinnamon and cloves are their
aromatic or essential oils. Cinnamon contains cinnamic aldehyde
which is more effective if pure than benzoate of soda.
Commonly Used Spices. — Cinnamon and Cassia. — Cinnamon is
Fig. 79. —Rolling Cinnamon Bark into Quills. (Courtesy of the Spice Mill Publishing Co.)
the inner bark of young shoots of certain species of cinnamon
tree, which is particularly rich in a volatile oil known as oil of
cinnamon. It is apparently one of the oldest of the spices used
by man and was the first sought after in the oriental voyages of
the early merchantmen. The shoots are cut very carefully from
the tree, the bark is slit longitudinally and removed in strips by
special knives. The strips are piled in heaps and allowed to fer-
308 FOOD INDUSTRIES
ment, after which the epidermis is removed. The bark shrinks
on drying and is known as "the quills." When put up in bundles
they are ready for exportation (Fig. 79). Cinnamon contains an
essential oil which consists largely of cinnamic aldehyde. A syn-
thetic cinnamic aldehyde, prepared from coal tar, is frequently
used in flavoring extracts to replace the genuine oil.
Cassia in olden times was obtained entirely from the bark of
other varieties of cinnamon trees. It was thick, comparatively
coarse and was generally considered inferior to cinnamon.
Much of the cassia of to-day, however, is obtained from China
and the Dutch West Indies, from the fragrant bark of a plant
known as the cassia. It has a much more pronounced flavor than
cinnamon and is frequently used as an adulterant.
Cloves. — Cloves are the unopened flower buds of an exceed-
ingly beautiful evergreen tree, which grows mainly in the Spice
Islands. They were known to the ancients and were considered
an important article of trade in the Middle Ages. The curing
process is very simple. After picking, the buds are thrown on
the ground on grass mats and are allowed to dry in the sun, care
being taken to shelter them from the dew at night. In about one
week, they are ready to be packed for export. Cloves contain
about 16 per cent, of a volatile oil, which can easily be removed
and is of considerable value. It consists largely of a substance
known as eugenol. The oil is used largely in perfumery and in
soaps (Fig. 80).
Allspice. — Allspice, known to the Spaniards as pimento, is the
dried, unripe fruit of an evergreen tree native to the West Indies.
Mexico and South America. The chief supply conies from
Jamaica. The name allspice has been given on account of the
fact that its very fragrant odor and flavor appears to be a com-
bination of those obtained from cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
The fruit is picked before it is ripe, dried in the sun and
usually ground on common burr-stones. It is used frequently
for medicinal purposes to disguise the taste of nauseous drugs,
and in the tanning of some kinds of leather. Allspice yields ?
volatile oil on distillation which is used as a flavoring in alcoholic
solutions.
FOOD INDUSTRIES
309
Fig. 80.— Clove Tree of Zanzibar. (Courtesy of The Spice Mill Publishing Co.)
3io
FOOD INDUSTRIES
Nutmeg and Mace. — Nutmeg is the dried kernel of the fruit
of a tropical tree somewhat resembling an orange tree. It is
native to the Malay Archipelago, but is also grown largely in
Asia, Africa, South America and the -West Indies. The fruit is
gathered when fully ripe and the outer part is discarded. The
seeds are then dried in the sun or by artificial means. When the
thin outer seed coat is broken, the kernel or nutmeg is removed,
cleaned and packed. Nutmegs are exported in the unground
state in order to retain the flavor, and usually lime coated for
preservation. The inner envelope which surrounds the nut is
also dried, and exported under the name of mace.
Ginger. — Ginger is the only spice taken from the root. The
original home of the plant is supposed to be China, but it is now
Fig. 81. — Digging and Peeling Ginger in the Fields — Ginger Plantation, Jamaica.
(Courtesy of The Spice Mill Publishing Co.)
grown in many tropical countries. The West Indies produce an
excellent quality, that from Jamaica usually being considered the
best. The root may be left unpeeled when it is simply dried in
the sun or it may be peeled after having been scalded. Preserved
FOOD INDUSTRIES 31 1
ginger is prepared very largely in China, especially Canton.
After being peeled, the ginger is treated with a boiling solution
of sugar, after which it is packed in jars or sent to the market
in the dry state (Fig. 81).
Adulteration. — In former years, no article connected with our
food supply was more largely subject to adulteration than spices,
especially when they were placed on the market in the ground
condition. Spices of a good quality were usually high in price,
and many cheap materials could be found which to some extent
resembled the real article. They were used frequently as dil-
uents and to some extent as complete substitutes. According to
Bulletin 13 of the United States Department of Agriculture, a
profitable business for many years was carried on in the manufac-
ture of products known as spice mixtures. They consisted of a
combination of various materials, such as ground cocoanut shells,
wheat flour, crackers, charcoal, coloring and mineral matter, yel-
low cornmeal, mustard, husks, sawdust and other odds and ends.
Much misbranding has also been found especially among flav-
oring extracts.
Vanilla and Lemon Extracts. — Vanilla is obtained from the
fruit of a climbing orchid, native of tropical America, but now
grown in Java, Ceylon and other parts of the Orient. It was used
by the Aztecs as a flavoring agent for their favorite beverage
chocolate, before the discovery of America, and was taken to
Europe by the explorers as early as 15 10. The fruit is a pod
which must be dried and cured with great care in order to obtain
the desired flavor. The characteristic odor is developed during
the process of fermentation which takes place while drying. The
aroma and flavor are due to a substance known as vanillin which
gradually crystallizes from the fluid of the pod. The well cured
pods, either whole or powdered, may be found on the market as
the vanilla bean or powder, but a more common form is the ex-
tract of vanilla.
Modern science has furnished a commercial rival to vanilla
extract in the production of a synthetic product. Vanillin has been
largely prepared from eugenol, a substance to which oil of cloves.
312 FOOD INDUSTRIES
owes its characteristic odor, and in recent years much has also
been obtained electrolytically from sugar.
In the preparation of vanilla extract the flavor is obtained from
the bean by a mixture of alcohol and water as the resins in the
bean will not impart their flavor to either alcohol or water alone.
(From 40-60 per cent, alcohol is the strength used according to
the character of the bean.) The method of extraction is prefer-
ably that of percolation. At least 13.35 oz - °f extracted matter
in one gallon of the finished product is required by the United
States Department of Agriculture. The best vanilla extracts are
kept from six months to two years in white oak casks or vats in
order to have them acquire a fine dainty bouquet which cannot
be obtained by any other known process. Storage, however,
raises the cost of the product 12-15 P er cent, owing to losses from
evaporation and interest on the money invested and to insurance
rates. The partly extracted beans are dried, ground and used in
the powdered state by ice cream manufacturers.
Lemon extract contains at least 5 per cent, by volume of lemon
oil in alcohol of proper strength. The lemon oil industry has
been carried on largely in Sicily. A very small quantity is pre-
pared in the West Indies and experimental quantities in Cali-
fornia, but the Sicilian lemons have so much finer bouquet and
flavor that 99 per cent, used in this country comes from that
section. In the best extracts 8 per cent, of the oil is used, the
maximum amount that can be held in solution by 95 per cent,
alcohol. A higher percentage would become cloudy if sub-
jected to changes in temperature especially cold, and would ap-
pear unsightly although the product would be in no way in-
jured. Alcohol is necessary in the manufacture of lemon ex-
tract not only to hold the oil in permanent solution, but to pro-
tect it from the action of oxygen, since that element combines
chemically with certain constituents of the oil known as ter-
penes, resulting in a turpentine-like odor and a bitter, disagree-
able taste. Fresh lemons are frequently added to give a fine
aroma and zest to the oil.
Much adulteration, substitution and misbranding has been
practiced with vanilla and lemon extracts. In the former an
FOOD INDUSTRIES 313
extract made from the tonka bean, the active principle of which
is coumarin, is frequently used in inferior extracts to replace
the more expensive vanilla. Imitation products from oil of
cloves have also been largely employed. Such extracts have a
strong pungent odor which will not volatilize in cooking as
quickly as the genuine vanilla. They are often used for flavor-
ing the ice cream and cakes on the market. Coloring matter and a
low alcoholic strength are frequently found in both vanilla and
lemon extracts. In the later imitation lemon prepared from
lemon grass oil and citric acid have been much used.
The flavoring extract business to a large extent passed into
the hands of unscrupulous men, mail-order and premium-giving
houses who put most inferior goods upon the market. As a
result the Flavoring Extract Manufacturers Association of the
United States was organized the object of which is to do away
with all evil practices, to place the industry on a firmer basis and
to secure uniform Pure Food Laws in the various states, which
will be in accordance with those adopted by the National Gov-
ernment.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.
CHAPTER I.— FOOD PRINCIPLES.
Sherman, Henry C. — Chemistry of Foods and Nutrition.
Jordan, Whitman H. — Principles of Human Nutrition.
Vulte, H. T. — Household Chemistry.
Perkin and Kipping. — Organic Chemistry.
Thorpe. — Dictionary of Applied Chemistry.
Haas and Hill.— An Introduction to the Chemistry of Plant Products.
CHAPTER II.— WATER.
Mason, William P.— Our Water Supply.
Woodman and Norton.— Air, Water and Food.
Leffmann, Henry. — Examination of Water.
Frankland, E. — Water Analysis.
Wanklyn and Chapman. — Water Analysis.
Harrington, Charles. — Practical Hygiene.
Thorpe.— Dictionary of Applied Chemistry.
Buchanan, E. D. and R. E. — Household Bacteriology.
Schultz, Carl H.— Mineral Waters.
CHAPTER III.— CEREALS.
Burtt-Davy, Joseph. — Maize : Its History, Cultivation, Handling and Uses.
Freeman and Chandler. — The World's Commercial Products.
Sherman, Henry C. — Food Products.
Bailey, E. H. S. — The Source, Chemistry and Use of Food Products.
Harrington, Charles. — Practical Hygiene.
Wiley, Harvey W. — Foods and Their Adulteration.
Ward, Artemas. — The Grocers Encyclopedia.
Bulletin No. 131, Agricultural Experiment Station, Orono, Maine. — Indian
Corn as Food for Man.
Farmers Bulletin No. 417, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C— Rice Culture.
Farmers Bulletin No. 45, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Some Insects Injurious to Stored Grain.
Farmers Bulletin No. 565, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Cornmeal as a Food and Ways of Using It.
Encyclopedias. — Britannica, International.
CHAPTERS IV AND V.— OLD AND MODERN
MILLING PROCESSES.
Dondlinger, Peter Tracy. — The Book of Wheat.
Smith, Rollin E— Wheat Fields and Markets of the World.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 315
Edgar, William C. — Story of a Grain of Wheat
Amos, Percy A. — Processes of Flour Manufacture.
Grant, James. — The Chemistry of Breadmaking.
Wiley, Harvey W. — Foods and Their Adulteration.
Bulletin No. 57, Agricultural Experiment Station, Ottawa, Canada. —
Quality in Wheat.
Trade Paper. — The Northwestern Miller, Chicago, 111.
Encyclopedias. — Britannica, International.
CHAPTER VI.— BREAKFAST FOODS.
Bulletin No. 118, Agricultural Experiment Station, Orono, Maine. — Cereal
Foods.
Bulletin No. 13, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Chemistry —
Cereals and Cereal Products.
Bulletin No. 65, Agricultural Experiment Station, Orono, Maine. — Coffee
Substitutes.
Bulletin No. 211, State Agricultural College Experiment Station, Michi-
gan. — -Breakfast Foods.
Bulletin No. 162, Dept. of Agriculture, Ontario Agricultural College,
Ontario, Canada. — Breakfast Foods.
Farmers Bulletin No. 249, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Cereal Breakfast Foods.
CHAPTER VII.— UTILIZATION OF FLOUR.
Jago, W. and W. C. — Technology of Breadmaking.
Simmons. — Book of Bread.
Grant, James. — The chemistry of Breadmaking.
Buchanan, E. D. and R. E. — Household Bacteriology.
Conn, H. W. — Bacteria, Yeasts and Molds in the Home.
Jordan, E. O. — General Bacteriology.
Farmers Bulletin No. 389, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Bread and Breadmaking.
The National Geographic Magazine, March, 1908. — Making Bread in
Different Parts of the World.
Trade Paper. — The Baker's Review. New York City.
CHAPTER VIII.— LEAVENING AGENTS.
Hart, Richard N. — Leavening Agents.
Thorpe. — Dictionary of Applied Chemistry.
Smith, Alexander. — General Inorganic Chemistry.
Harrington, Charles. — Practical Hygiene.
Bulletin No. 13, Part Fifth, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Division
of Chemistry. — Baking Powders.
316 FOOD INDUSTRIES
Bulletin No. 52, Agricultural Experiment Station, Florida. — Baking
Powders.
Bulletin No. 103, U. S. Department of Agriculture.— Alum in Foods.
CHAPTER IX.— STARCH AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES.
Sadtler, Samuel. — Handbook of Industrial Organic Chemistry.
Thorp, Frank H. — Outlines of Industrial Chemistry.
Thorpe. — Dictionary of Applied Chemistry.
Olsen, John C. — Pure Foods.
Humphrey, H. C. — Descriptive Paper — The Corn Products Refining
Industry.
Bulletin No. 202, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. — ■
Digestibility of Starch of Different Sorts as Affected by Cooking.
CHAPTER X.— THE SUGAR INDUSTRY.
Geerlings, H. C. Prinsen. — The World's Cane Sugar Industry, Past and
Present.
Sadtler, Samuel P. — Handbook of Industrial Organic Chemistry.
Thorp, Frank H. — Outlines of Industrial Chemistry.
Thorpe. — Dictionary of Applied Chemistry.
Wiley, Harvey W. — Foods and Their Adulteration.
Deerr, Noel. — Sugar and the Sugar Cane.
Deerr, Noel. — Cane Sugar Manufacture.
International Library of Technology. — Manufacture of Sugar.
The School of Mines Quarterly, Columbia University, April, 191 1. — The
Chemistry of Raw Sugar Production; Sugar Refining.
The School of Mines Quarterly, Columbia University, January, 1913. —
Manufacture of Raw Sugar in the Philippine and Hawaiian Islands.
The School of Mines Quarterly, Columbia University, July, 1913. —
By-Products of Sugar Manufacture, and Methods for Their Utili-
zation.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 52, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C— The Sugar Beet.
Report of the Eighth International Congress of Applied Chemistry, Vol.
27-29. — The Status of Cane Sugar and Manufacture in the
Hawaiian Islands.
Trade Paper. — Sugar, Chicago, 111.
CHAPTER XL— FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND NUTS.
Ward, Artemas. — The Grocers Encyclopedia.
Wiley, Harvey W. — Foods and Their Adulteration.
Sherman, Henry. — Food Products.
Bailey, E. H. S. — The Source, Chemistry and Use of Food Products.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 317
Fisher and Fisk. — How to Live.
Bulletin by C. F. Langworthy. — Green Vegetables and Their Use in the
Diet.
Bulletin by C. F. Langworthy. — Raisins, Figs and Other Dried Fruits and
Their Uses.
Bulletin, University of Illinois, Department of Household Science. — Prin-
ciples of Jelly Making.
Bulletin No. 172, The Agricultural Experiment Station, Fort Collins,
Colo. — Garden Notes.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 121, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Beans, Peas and Other Legumes as Food.
Farmers Bulletin No. 256, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Preparation of Vegetables for the Table.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 295, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Potatoes and Other Root Crops as Food.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 324, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Sweet Potatoes.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 433, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C— Cabbage.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 282, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Celery.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 220, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Tomatoes.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 293, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Use of Fruit as Food.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 203, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Canned Fruit, Preserves and Jellies.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 332, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Nuts and Their Use as Food.
Trade Paper. — Green's Fruit Grower.
CHAPTERS XII AND XIII.— ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.
Thorpe. — Dictionary of Applied Chemistry.
Sadtler, Samuel. — Handbook of Industrial Organic Chemistry.
Thorp, Frank H. — Outlines of Industrial Chemistry.
Harrington, Charles. — Practical Hygiene.
Accum, Frederick. — A Treatise of Adulteration of Food and Culinary
Poisons.
Fisher and Fisk. — How to Live.
Buchanan, E. D. and R. E. — Household Bacteriology.
Conn, H. W. — Bacteria, Yeasts and Molds in the Home.
Fowler, G. J. — Bacteriological and Enzyme Chemistry.
Osborn's Annual Guide, December, 1903. — Vintage and Production of
Wines and Liquor.
318 FOOD INDUSTRIES
Bulletin No. 13, Part Third, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Division
of Chemistry.- — Fermented Alcoholic Beverages.
Bulletin No. 239, Agricultural Experiment Station, Ottawa, Canada.
Trade Paper. — The American Brewer.
CHAPTER XIV.— FATS.
Sadtler, Samuel P. — Handbook of Industrial Organic Chemistry.
Thorp, Frank H. — Outlines of Industrial Chemistry.
Thorpe. — Dictionary of Applied Chemistry.
Wing, Henry W. — Milk and Its Products.
Bailey, E. H. S. — The Source, Chemistry and Use of Food Products.
Sherman, H. C. — Food Products.
Lewkowitsch. — Chemical Technology and Analysis of Oils, Fats and
Waxes.
Ward, Artemas. — The Grocers Encyclopedia.
Leffmann and Beam. — Food Analysis.
Wiley, Harvey W. — Foods and Their Adulterations.
International Library of Technology. — Cottonseed Oil and Products.
Bulletin No. 13, Part First, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Division
of Chemistry. — Dairy Products.
Bulletin No. 163, Agricultural Experiment Station, Fort Collins, Colo.—
Farm Butter Making.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 241, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Butter Making on the Farm.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 131, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Household Tests for the Detection of Oleomargarine and
Renovated Butter.
CHAPTER XV.— ANIMAL FOODS.
Sherman, Henry C. — Food Products.
Wiley, Harvey W. — Foods and Their Adulterations.
Harrington, Charles. — Practical Hygiene.
Hutchison, Robert. — Foods and Dietetics.
Jordan, Whitman H. — Principles of Human Nutrition.
Wilder, F. W. — The Modern Packing House.
Ward, Artemas. — The Grocers Encyclopedia.
The National Geographic Magazine, March, 1913. — Oysters : The World's
, Most Valuable Water Crop.
Bulletin No. 114, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Chemistry. —
Meat Extracts and Similar Preparations.
Bulletin No. 13, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Chemistry. —
Preserved Meats.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 391, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Economical LTse of Meat in the Home.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 319
Farmers Bulletin, No. 183, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C— Meat on the Farm.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 85, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Fish as Food.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 128, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Eggs and Their Uses as Food.
CHAPTER XVI.— THE PACKING HOUSE.
Wilder, F. W— The Modern Packing House.
International Library of Technology. — Packing House Industries.
The Chemical Engineer, December, 1906. — Chemical Engineering in the
Packing House.
Morris & Co. — The Pictorial History of a Steer.
Wiley, Harvey W. — Foods and Their Adulteration.
Encyclopedia. — International.
CHAPTER XVII.— MILK.
Winslow, K. — The Production and Handling of Clean Milk.
Ros ; nau, M. J.— The Milk Question.
Wing, Henry H. — Milk and Its Products.
Sherman, Henry C. — Food Products.
Harrington, Charles. — Practical Hygiene.
Buchanan, E. D. and R. E. — Household Bacteriology.
Conn, H. W. — Agricultural Bacteriology.
Conn, H. W. — Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station, Report 1895—
Bacteria in the Dairy.
Leffmann and Beam. — Food Analysis.
Bulletin No. 161, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal
Industry. — A Study of the Bacteria which Survive Pasteurization.
Bulletin No. 104, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal
Industry. — Medical Milk Commission and the Production of Cer-
tified Milk in the United States.
Bulletin No. 107, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal
Industry. — The Extra Cost of Producing Clean Milk.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 363, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C— The Use of Milk as Food.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 413, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C— The Care of Milk and Its Use in the Home.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 63, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — The Care of Milk on the Farm.
320 FOOD INDUSTRIES
CHAPTER XVIII.— MILK PRODUCTS.
Van Slyke and Publow. — The Science and Practice of Cheese-making.
Wing, Henry H. — Milk and Its Products.
Wiley, Harvey W. — Foods and Their Adulteration.
Leffmann and Beam. — Food Analysis.
Luchsinger. — History of a Great Industry. Address at the State His-
torical Society of Wisconsin.
The National Geographic Magazine, December, 1910. — A North Holland
Cheese Market.
Bulletin No. 13, Part First, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Division
of Chemistry. — Dairy Products.
Bulletin No. 203, New York Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva,
N. Y. — A Study of Enzymes in Cheese.
Bulletin No. 219, New York Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva,
N. Y. — Some of the Compounds Present in American Cheddar
Cheese.
Bulletin No. 236, New York Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva,.
N. Y. — Conditions Affecting Chemical Changes in Cheese-making,
Bulletin No. 237, New York Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva,
N. Y.— The Role of the Lactic Acid Bacteria in the Manufacture
and in the Early Stages of Ripening of Cheddar Cheese.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 487, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Cheese and Its Economical Uses in the Diet.
CHAPTERS XIX AND XX.— PRESERVATION OF FOODS.
Appert, Nicholas. — The Art of Preserving All Kinds of Animal and Veg-
etable Substances.
Duckwall, E. W. — Canning and Preserving.
Thresh and Porter. — Preservatives in Food and Food Examination.
Rideal, Samuel. — Disinfection and the Preservation of Foods.
Wiley, Harvey W. — Foods and Their Adulteration.
Green, Mary E. — Food Products of the World.
Bulletin No. 13, Part Eighth, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Division
of Chemistry. — Canned Vegetables.
Bulletin No. 151, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Chem-
istry. — The Canning of Foods.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 375, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C— The Care of Food in the Home.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 359, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Canning Vegetables in the Home.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 521, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Canning Tomatoes at Home and in Club Work.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 203, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Canned Fruit, Preserves and Jellies.
FOOD INDUSTRIES 32 1
Farmers Bulletin, No. 291, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Evaporation of Apples.
CHAPTER XXL— TEA, COFFEE AND COCOA.
Freeman and Chandler. — The World's Commercial Products.
Thorpe. — Dictionary of Applied Chemistry.
Ward, Artemas. — The Grocers Encyclopedia.
Harrington, Charles. — Practical Hygiene.
Fowler, E. J. — Bacteriological and Enzyme Chemistry.
Whymper, R. — Cocoa and Chocolate ; Their Chemistry and Manufacture.
Harris, W. B. — Paper on Coffee as Affected by the Food and Drugs Act.
Count Rumford. — Essay on The Excellent Qualities of Coffee and the
Art of Making it in the Highest Perfection.
Leffmann and Beam. — Food Analysis.
Pan-American Union Bulletin, 1912. — The Cacao of the World.
The National Geographic Magazine, October, 191 1. — A Visit to a Brazilian
Coffee Plantation.
Bulletin No. 13, Part Seventh, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Wash-
ington, D. C. — Tea, Coffee and Cocoa Preparations.
Farmers Bulletin, No. 301, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C. — Home Grown Tea.
Trade Paper. — The Tea and Coffee Trade Journal, New York.
Trade Paper.— The Spice Mill. Spice Mill Publishing Co., New York.
CHAPTER XXIL— SPICES AND CONDIMENTS.
Ridley, Henry N. — Spices.
Gibbs, W. M. — Spices and How to Know Them.
Freeman and Chandler. — The World's Commercial Products.
Bailey, E. H. S. — The Source, Chemistry and Use of Food Products.
Leffmann and Beam.— Food Analysis.
Wiley, Harvey W. — Foods and Their Adulteration.
Ward, Artemas. — The Grocers Encyclopedia.
Conn, H. W. — Bacteria, Yeasts and Molds in the Home.
Hoffman and Evans. — Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry.
The Use of Spices as Preservatives.
Bulletin No. 13, Part Second, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Division
of Chemistry. — Spices and Condiments
Trade Paper.— The Spice Mill. Spice Mill Publishing Co., New York.
INDEX.
Acid phosphate of lime 119
Adulteration. . . .44, 46, 48, 73, 78
84, 101, 158, 179, 191,
202, 215, 258, 278, 293,
299, 311
Albumins 13
Albuminoids 13, 14
Alcoholic beverages ..... .169-191
adulteration 179, 191
brewing 1 71-179
cider 189
classification 169
distilled liquors 186-189
koumiss 191
vinegar 190, 191
wine industry 181-186
Ale 180
Allspice 308
Alum 28, 29, 101, 117
Animal foods 205-223
beef extracts ....210-212,231
eggs 220-223
fish 213-215
internal organs 212-213
meat 205-210
poultry 218-220
shellfish 215-218
Baking powders ........ .114-118
Barley 48, 49
Beef extracts 210-212, 231
Beer (see Brewing)
Bicarbonate of soda 1 19-122
Biscuit industry 104-110
Bolter 70
Bone-black filters 155
Brandy 187
Breadmaking 86-104
adulteration 101
aerated bread 103, 104
leavened bread 88
losses -in fermentation... 102
Breadmaking — (Continued)
primitive methods 86-88
salt-rising bread 95
souring and its preven-
tion 100, 101
steps in breadmaking. . .96-98
yeast preparations 93~95
Breakfast foods 79-84
Brewing 171-180
Butter 193-198
Caff ein 286, 294, 300
Cane syrup 1 58
Canning industry 271-278
adulteration 278
containers 275-277
historical 271, 272
meat products 275
processes 272-274
success of canning 274
Carbohydrates 7-10
classification 7
formation 8
occurrence 8
properties 9
Cassava 125, 126
Cassia 307
Caviar 214
Cellulose 9
Centrifuge 144
Cereals 38-49
barley 48-49
biological origin 38
composition 39
Indian corn 39~44
oats 47, 48
rice 44-47
use in our country 38
Champagne 185
Cheese 253-258
Chocolate 299
Cider 189
3^4
FOOD INDUSTRIES
Cinnamon 307
Clams 217
Clotting 15
Cloves 308
Coagulation 15
Cocoa 294-300
adulteration 299
as a beverage 300
cultivation 295
historical 294
manufacture 296-299
physiological effect 300
Coconut oil 204
Coffee 287-294
adulteration 293
as a beverage 294
cultivation 289
extracts 294
historical 287
manufacture 280-293
physiological effect 300
substitutes 85
Cold storage 261-263
Condiments 301-305
Cordials 189
Cornmeal 42
Corn syrup (see Glucose)
Cottonseed oil 202, 203
Crabs 218
Crackers (see Biscuit industry)
Cream of tartar 1 18, 1 19
Curdling 15
Curry powder 304
Dextrin 9, 132, 133
Diffusion battery 150-152
Diseases from impure
milk . . 230-240
Diseases from impure water 23
Diseases of animals 208,209
Distillation 30
Domestic filters 31
Drying 250-261
Eggs 220-223
Emulsification 12
Extractives 15
Fats 192-204
butter 193-198
butter substitutes 199-201
composition 10, 11
edible oils 201-204
extraction 192
occurrence 11, 12
properties 12
purification 193
Fermentation 177-179, 183, 184
Fish 213-215
Flour 64-77
adulteration 73
bleaching jt>
entire wheat 75
gluten yy
Graham 74, 75
hard wheat J2>
prepared 74
soft wheat 73
testing 72
utilization of 86-112
Food principles 5-7
Foot-and-mouth disease 208
Fructose 8
Fruits and vegetables 159-166
composition 161
cultivation 162
definition and classification 160
handling on the farm. . . . 1162
importance in the diet... 159
marketing 165
transportation and storage 164
Galactose 8
Gelatin 230
Gin 189
Ginger 310
Globulin 13, 14
Glucose 8, 133-135
Glutelins 13, 14
FOOD INDUSTRIES
325
Glycogen 9
Glycoproteins 13, 14
Grist mill 61
Haemoglobins 13, 14
Hand-stones 58
Hominy 42
Hydrolysis 10, 14, 15
Ice cream 251
Ice supply 33
Indian corn 39~44
Jellies and jams 166
Koumiss 191
Lactose 9
Lard 228
Leavening agents 1 13-122
Lemon extract 311
Lobsters 218
Macaroni 1 10-1 12
Mace 310
Maize (see Indian corn)
Malting 172-175
Maltose 9
Marmalade 166
Meat 205-210
Meat products 275
Milk 233-246
certified 245
composition 234, 235
diseases from milk 239
importance of supply .... 236
modified 246
necessity for cleanliness . . 240
pasteurization 245
producer 241
safeguarding the supply. . 240
source 233
sterilization 242
testing 242
Milk products 247-258
artificially soured milk. . . 253
butter 193-198
by-products of butter. 252, 253
cheese 253-258
concentrated milk 249
condensed milk 247
evaporated milk 249
ice cream 251
market cream 250, 251
milk powders 250
Milling-
modern processes 64-77
old processes 58-63
Mineral waters 33~37
artificial 36
classification 33
natural 33-36
Molasses 156, 157
Mussels 218
Mustard 304
Nncleo-proteins 13, 14
Nutmeg 310
Nuts 166-168
Oatmeal 47
Oats 47, 48
Oleomargarine 199-201
Oleo oil 227
Olive oil .201, 202
Oysters 215-217
Packing house 224-232
growth and breadth 224
historical 224
processes and by-prod-
ucts 225-232
Peanut oil 203
Pepper 302-304
Pestle and mortar 59
Phospho-proteins 13, 14
Porter 180
Poultry 218-220
326
FOOD INDUSTRIES
Preservation of foods. .. .250-278
alcohol 268
canning 271-278
cooling 261-263
drying 259-261
preservatives 268
salting 264
smoking 265
sugaring 263
use of fats and oils 267
use of spices 267
Preservatives 268-270
Proteins 13-16
classification . . 13
composition 13
hydrolysis 14
occurrence 13
properties 15
Purifier 69
Quern 59
Renovated butter 199
Rice 44-47
Rum 187
Rye 77, 78
Saccharine 269
Salting 264
Salt rising bread 95
Samp 42
Saponification 12
Sausages 231
Scallops 217
Scalper 67
Semolina 77
Shellfish 215-218
Smoking 265, 266
Sodium chloride 301
Spices 305-311
Starch 123-132
corn 127-132
potato 124, 125
properties 123
Starch — (Continued)
source of supply 124
tapioca 125, 126
uses 123, 124
Sucrose (see Sugar)
Sugar 136-158
beet sugar industry. . .145-152
cane sugar industry. . .138-145
comparison of cane and
beet 137
historical 136-138
refining 152-155
source 8, 9, 136
Sugaring 263
Sweetbreads 213
Tallow 227
Tartaric acid 119
Tea 279-287
adulteration 286
as a beverage 286
classification 281
composition of the bever-
age 287
cultivation of the
plant 270-281
historical 279
manufacture 283-286
physiological effect 300
rules for tea-making 286
Trichina 208
Tuberculosis 209
Vacuum pan 142-144
Vanilla extract 311
Vegetables (see Fruits)
Vinegar 190, 191, 304
Water 17-37
atmospheric 19
classifications 17, 19
contamination 21, 22
danger of impure water. . 23
ice supply 33
importance of 15
FOOD INDUSTRIES 327
Water — (Continued) Wheat — (Continued)
j udging a supply 32 origin 50
mineral waters 33 structure of grain 54-50
subsoil 20 value 56, 57
surface ... 20 varieties 57, 58
Wheat 50-77 Whiskey 187-189
cultivation 53, 54 Wine industry 181-186
distribution 51-53
milling 58-77 Yeast 80-95
Household Chemistry
for the use of
Students in Household Arts
BY
Hermann T. Vulte, Ph.D., F. C. S.
Assistant Professor of Household Chemistry in
Teachers College, Columbia University
CONTENTS. — Introduction ; Chapter I. — Outline of Organic
Chemistry; Chapter II. — Atmosphere and Ventilation; Chapter
III— Water; Chapter IV.— Metals ; Chapter V.— Glass, Pottery
and Porcelain; Chapter VI. — Fuels; Chapter VII. — Carbohy-
drates ; Chapter VIII. — Fruit and Fruit Juices ; Chapter IX. —
Fats ; Chapter X. — Proteins ; Chapter XI. — Baking Powders ;
Chapter XII. — Tea, Coffee, Chocolate and Cocoa; Chapter
XIII. — Ferments and Preservatives ; Chapter XIV. — Disinfect-
ants and Disinfection; Chapter XV. — Cleansing Agents; Chapter
XVI. — Volumetric and Gravimetric Analysis; Chapter XVII. —
Reagents. Appendix. Useful Tables.
Pages VI + 234 (12 mo.)
Price, $1.50, Postpaid
The Chemical Publishing Co.
EASTON, PENNA.
LAUNDERING
BY
L. Ray Balderston
Instructor in Laundering, Teachers College, Columbia University,
New York City.
2nd EDITION
Useful to Housewives
Helpful to Teachers
Text Book to Classes
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Published by
L. R. BALDERSTON
1224 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
Price: $1.25 postpaid For sale by all book dealers