Calcium is essential for the growth of plants. It is present in both inor-
ganic and organic combination. Sullivan states plants deficient in calcium are
unable to assimilate nitrates and accumulate carbohydrates in large quanti-
ties. Sullivan and Near have reported the potassium, calcium, magnesium,
and phosphorus content of glutens in three grades of flour. Their investiga-
tion shows that the calcium content is highest in glutens of highest strength,
and potassium and magnesium increase as the tenacity of the gluten
decreases.
Calcium acid phosphate is often added to soft-wheat flour and some-
times to high grades of flour. This practise is very common in the South.
A great deal of this flour is used in quick breads like biscuits. The addition
of the calcium acid phosphate is said to improve the volume, quality of
crumb, texture, and color of biscuits.
Sullivan states that the inorganic constituents — iron, manganese, copper,
zinc, boron, cobalt, iodine, flourine, and nickel — all play a significant role
in plant physiology. The addition of certain of these rare minerals, in as
little concentration as one part per million, to nutrient solutions in which
plants are grown permits normal growth and production, although too
great a concentration of some of these elements has undesirable effects.
Gericke studied the effect on bread scores of supplying to wheat grown
in liquid media the following salts during the latter part of the growth
period: NH4NO3, Ca(N03)2, KNO3, Mg(N03)2, and NaN03. He
decided the physical state of the protein was determined by the nature of
the salt solution surrounding the protein during its synthesis and transloca-
tion in the grain. Quality in bread varies with the quantity and quality of
the protein in the flour. Bread from flour of wheat grown in Ca(N03)2
scored exceptionally high. The order in decreasing desirability of scores for
bread was: Ca(N03)2, KNO3, NaN03, Mg(N03)2, and NH4NO3,
though there was little difference between sodium and magnesium. How-
ever, the ammonium nitrate was definitely the lowest-scoring bread.
Gericke found that the effect of chloride salts supplied to wheat grown
in liquid media on bread scores was in the following order, the highest
being given first: CaCb, NaCL, MgCb, and KCl. The best bread was
obtained from the wheat supplied with NH4CI, but this was the only salt
402 FLOUR AND BREAD
supplying nitrogen and hence the only wheat which gave a flour with a
high protein content.
Sugars
Sugar. Flour contains small amounts of sugars. The content of maltose
is from Yz to 1 per cent. The amount of sucrose averages approximately
1 per cent but may reach 2 to 3 per cent. Dextrose may not be present
in the flour but is found in bread dough. Dextrin is present in the flour
in very small quantities.
Starch
Page 325
Presented as published in 1932. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A modernized reading is not available for this page yet. You are seeing the original text.
Calcium is essential for the growth of plants. It is present in both inor-
ganic and organic combination. Sullivan states plants deficient in calcium are
unable to assimilate nitrates and accumulate carbohydrates in large quanti-
ties. Sullivan and Near have reported the potassium, calcium, magnesium,
and phosphorus content of glutens in three grades of flour. Their investiga-
tion shows that the calcium content is highest in glutens of highest strength,
and potassium and magnesium increase as the tenacity of the gluten
decreases.
Calcium acid phosphate is often added to soft-wheat flour and some-
times to high grades of flour. This practise is very common in the South.
A great deal of this flour is used in quick breads like biscuits. The addition
of the calcium acid phosphate is said to improve the volume, quality of
crumb, texture, and color of biscuits.
Sullivan states that the inorganic constituents — iron, manganese, copper,
zinc, boron, cobalt, iodine, flourine, and nickel — all play a significant role
in plant physiology. The addition of certain of these rare minerals, in as
little concentration as one part per million, to nutrient solutions in which
plants are grown permits normal growth and production, although too
great a concentration of some of these elements has undesirable effects.
Gericke studied the effect on bread scores of supplying to wheat grown
in liquid media the following salts during the latter part of the growth
period: NH4NO3, Ca(N03)2, KNO3, Mg(N03)2, and NaN03. He
decided the physical state of the protein was determined by the nature of
the salt solution surrounding the protein during its synthesis and transloca-
tion in the grain. Quality in bread varies with the quantity and quality of
the protein in the flour. Bread from flour of wheat grown in Ca(N03)2
scored exceptionally high. The order in decreasing desirability of scores for
bread was: Ca(N03)2, KNO3, NaN03, Mg(N03)2, and NH4NO3,
though there was little difference between sodium and magnesium. How-
ever, the ammonium nitrate was definitely the lowest-scoring bread.
Gericke found that the effect of chloride salts supplied to wheat grown
in liquid media on bread scores was in the following order, the highest
being given first: CaCb, NaCL, MgCb, and KCl. The best bread was
obtained from the wheat supplied with NH4CI, but this was the only salt
402 FLOUR AND BREAD
supplying nitrogen and hence the only wheat which gave a flour with a
high protein content.
Sugars
Sugar. Flour contains small amounts of sugars. The content of maltose
is from Yz to 1 per cent. The amount of sucrose averages approximately
1 per cent but may reach 2 to 3 per cent. Dextrose may not be present
in the flour but is found in bread dough. Dextrin is present in the flour
in very small quantities.
Starch