When wheat-flour is moistened with water and kept at the temperature of 100° Fahr. for periods up to eight hours, maltose and dextrine are formed, increasing in quantity with time, and the amount of soluble albuminoids (peptones) increases ; so that in the best flour the amount of soluble matter increases from 0‘76 per cent, in eight hours to 9'73 per cent., equal to an increase of more than 1 per cent, per hour. When, as in the inferior flours, maltose and dextrine are already there, they only increase in quantity, and no new substance appears. Many processes have been proposed or tried to prevent the formation or arrest the increase of these soluble matters, specially of dextrine. One useful remedy was carbonate of lime (chalk or whiting, not caustic lime, nor milk of lime, or lime-water, which have been added for other purposes) ; another was the kiln-drying of the corn ; a third that of the flour at 100° to 150° Fahr. ; a fourth was the removal during the grinding of the corn of that part called the germ. This removal is now effected in many mills, and the isolated germs are ground into a special flour, and baked into a peculiar bread by themselves, called germ bread. The germs contain very active albuminoid ferments, which deteriorate the process of panification by the production of excess of soluble matter. The complete removal of the bran from the flour is desir- able, not only on account of the injurious action which the cerealin would exert upon the dough by the production of materials which darken the colour of the bread during baking, but more particularly on account of the complete indigestibility of the cellulose of bran by the human intes- tines. But though not amenable to healthful digestion and assimilation, cellulose is liable to a decomposition, during REMOVAL OF BRAN AND WHOLEMEAL BREAD 377 which more or less considerable volumes of marsh-gas are formed. Eough bran, as formerly used, furnished the materials for this decomposition less readily than the finely pulverized, and acted as a stimulant to the peristaltic move- ments of the intestines, whereby the time and opportunity for the formation of these anomalous products were limited. Indeed, in tender individuals — particularly in young persons — rough bran acted as a cathartic, and was used by many strong persons in the shape of so-called brown bread as a peristaltic persuader. The whole experience of mankind was against the retention of the bran in the meal, and the grounds against that retention, so thoroughly proved by the experience of the baker, and urged by every observant eater of bread, were so overwhelming that by common consent every possible effort was made to keep all particles of bran out of the flour, and whiteness of the flour as well as of the bread became the first criterion of excellent quality.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

When wheat-flour is moistened with water and kept at the temperature of 100° Fahr. for periods up to eight hours, maltose and dextrine are formed, increasing in quantity with time, and the amount of soluble albuminoids (peptones) increases ; so that in the best flour the amount of soluble matter increases from 0‘76 per cent, in eight hours to 9'73 per cent., equal to an increase of more than 1 per cent, per hour. When, as in the inferior flours, maltose and dextrine are already there, they only increase in quantity, and no new substance appears. Many processes have been proposed or tried to prevent the formation or arrest the increase of these soluble matters, specially of dextrine. One useful remedy was carbonate of lime (chalk or whiting, not caustic lime, nor milk of lime, or lime-water, which have been added for other purposes) ; another was the kiln-drying of the corn ; a third that of the flour at 100° to 150° Fahr. ; a fourth was the removal during the grinding of the corn of that part called the germ. This removal is now effected in many mills, and the isolated germs are ground into a special flour, and baked into a peculiar bread by themselves, called germ bread. The germs contain very active albuminoid ferments, which deteriorate the process of panification by the production of excess of soluble matter. The complete removal of the bran from the flour is desirable, not only on account of the injurious action which the cerealin would exert upon the dough by the production of materials which darken the colour of the bread during baking, but more particularly on account of the complete indigestibility of the cellulose of bran by the human intestines. But though not amenable to healthful digestion and assimilation, cellulose is liable to a decomposition, during REMOVAL OF BRAN AND WHOLEMEAL BREAD 377 which more or less considerable volumes of marsh-gas are formed. Rough bran, as formerly used, furnished the materials for this decomposition less readily than the finely pulverized, and acted as a stimulant to the peristaltic movements of the intestines, whereby the time and opportunity for the formation of these anomalous products were limited. Indeed, in tender individuals — particularly in young persons — rough bran acted as a cathartic, and was used by many strong persons in the shape of so-called brown bread as a peristaltic persuader. The whole experience of mankind was against the retention of the bran in the meal, and the grounds against that retention, so thoroughly proved by the experience of the baker, and urged by every observant eater of bread, were so overwhelming that by common consent every possible effort was made to keep all particles of bran out of the flour, and whiteness of the flour as well as of the bread became the first criterion of excellent quality.

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