Flour has been considered adulterated w^ith water, under the federal
standards of the United States, if the moisture content exceeded 13.5 per
cent. Recently this standard has been changed to 15 per cent. It has been
found by careful experiments that, when the moisture is determined by
the water-oven method, 13.5 per cent is equivalent to 15 per cent by the
new vacuum method.
Sanderson, in determining the variations in moisture content of flour
during storage, decided that the moisture loss of flour varies less with 11.0
per cent of moisture. From different reports 11 to 13 per cent of moisture
seems to be a normal content of flour over a large section of the United
States.
Bailey states that flour responds more readily to changes in humidity
than the wheat kernel, because of its fineness of division of particles and
the greater exposure in handling it in sacks.
FAT CONTENT OF FLOUR 399
Hygroscopic property of flour. The starch of flour takes up and lets
go of moisture very quickly. This affects the proportion of moisture needed
for baked products such as bread and cake. Browne in determining the
hygroscopic moisture of carbohydrates has reported that anhydrous starch
ranked first in the amount of moisture absorbed at 60 per cent humidity
in 1 hour. Over longer periods the starch did not absorb as much moisture
as some of the sugars. Kent-Jones states that English flour has a moisture
content ^ to 1 per cent higher than American flour on account of the
higher humidity of the English climate.
The Fat Content of Flour
The percentage of fat in vrhite flour is low, since most of the fat is found
in the germ which is removed during milling. But though present in a small
quantity, the lipoid content of flour is important. Some lipoid constituents
improve, whereas others injure the baking quality of flour.
Working has reported that "The gluten of low grade flour increased in
tenacity when the phosphatide was removed by washing. The addition of
phosphatides to flour in small quantities injured the gluten as determined
by the feel of the hand washed gluten, the viscosity as measured by the
viscometer, and by baking tests." Working suggests that the effect of
phosphatides on gluten is similar to that of oil on rope. Lubrication of the
strands of the rope lessens its strength and tenacity.
In a later paper Working reported that a small amount of phosphatide,
such as the normal amount present in a good patent flour, may improve
the baking quality.
Sullivan, Near, and Foley report that it is well known that increasing
percentages of wheat germ in flour harm the baking quality of the flour.
They investigated the effect of fat from wheat germ and of each fat fraction
and its hydrolytic products on normal sound patent flour as judged by
gluten washing and baking tests as well as by the Farinograph and Fer-
mcntograph. Fat from the fresh germ was not found to be deleterious to
the baking quality.
They say: "The only germ-fat constituents which were found to be
injurious were the unsaturated fatty acids which develop upon aging due
to hydrolysis of the triglycerides and, what is much more important, the
subsequent oxidation products of these unsaturated acids.
Page 323
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Flour has been considered adulterated w^ith water, under the federal
standards of the United States, if the moisture content exceeded 13.5 per
cent. Recently this standard has been changed to 15 per cent. It has been
found by careful experiments that, when the moisture is determined by
the water-oven method, 13.5 per cent is equivalent to 15 per cent by the
new vacuum method.
Sanderson, in determining the variations in moisture content of flour
during storage, decided that the moisture loss of flour varies less with 11.0
per cent of moisture. From different reports 11 to 13 per cent of moisture
seems to be a normal content of flour over a large section of the United
States.
Bailey states that flour responds more readily to changes in humidity
than the wheat kernel, because of its fineness of division of particles and
the greater exposure in handling it in sacks.
FAT CONTENT OF FLOUR 399
Hygroscopic property of flour. The starch of flour takes up and lets
go of moisture very quickly. This affects the proportion of moisture needed
for baked products such as bread and cake. Browne in determining the
hygroscopic moisture of carbohydrates has reported that anhydrous starch
ranked first in the amount of moisture absorbed at 60 per cent humidity
in 1 hour. Over longer periods the starch did not absorb as much moisture
as some of the sugars. Kent-Jones states that English flour has a moisture
content ^ to 1 per cent higher than American flour on account of the
higher humidity of the English climate.
The Fat Content of Flour
The percentage of fat in vrhite flour is low, since most of the fat is found
in the germ which is removed during milling. But though present in a small
quantity, the lipoid content of flour is important. Some lipoid constituents
improve, whereas others injure the baking quality of flour.
Working has reported that "The gluten of low grade flour increased in
tenacity when the phosphatide was removed by washing. The addition of
phosphatides to flour in small quantities injured the gluten as determined
by the feel of the hand washed gluten, the viscosity as measured by the
viscometer, and by baking tests." Working suggests that the effect of
phosphatides on gluten is similar to that of oil on rope. Lubrication of the
strands of the rope lessens its strength and tenacity.
In a later paper Working reported that a small amount of phosphatide,
such as the normal amount present in a good patent flour, may improve
the baking quality.
Sullivan, Near, and Foley report that it is well known that increasing
percentages of wheat germ in flour harm the baking quality of the flour.
They investigated the effect of fat from wheat germ and of each fat fraction
and its hydrolytic products on normal sound patent flour as judged by
gluten washing and baking tests as well as by the Farinograph and Fer-
mcntograph. Fat from the fresh germ was not found to be deleterious to
the baking quality.
They say: "The only germ-fat constituents which were found to be
injurious were the unsaturated fatty acids which develop upon aging due
to hydrolysis of the triglycerides and, what is much more important, the
subsequent oxidation products of these unsaturated acids.