The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-10-25
Elour from sprouted wheat.

Flour from Sprouted Wheat.
The extensive misfortune which has over
taken our wheat crop, by the termination OF
the grain, renders it quite Certain that much
Of our bread and pastry for the year to come
must be made from the -four Of sprouted
wheat Under these circumstances, it be-
comes question Of vital importance, first,
how We can determine whether or not We are
PURCHASING an inferior article oil flour; AMI
secondly, whether such inferior article when
purchased is dele.erious to health. In Eng
land where the atmosphere is humid, and
bright. clear weather for harvesting so pre- ,
csrious. grown wheat is no uncommon thing;
and besides. the imports OF Continental grain
heretofore made from the Dsrubian provinces
and the coast Of the Black sea, IS not unfre-
auenty 50 damaged aad sprouted by the heat
ings and casualties of tho voyage, as to rem
der it ultimately an inferior gram IL IS
TRANSPORTED on the rivers from the interior OF
the country to the sea coast IN open boats. ex-
posed to all the changes Of the weather. and
bv the time it reaches the shipping ports. Is
not unfreq uently SO grown and matted on the
surface Of the cargo, As to require breaking
up with sharp instruments. OF course, IN
such cases, the superficial portions OF the car
20 are entirely worthless for human food; and
Tie remainder cannot be otherwise than much
deterorated.
In our country. however, through the favor
able influences Of q clear sky and an unctoud-
ed sun, the harvest is usually gathered with
no damage from excess OF moisture, and tie
owner Of broad acres Of golden wheat slash
es il down with the utmost confidence and
freedom from fear of any such calamity
The question with him is. at what precise mo
ment his own convenience and the perfect
state of the grain will render it desirable to
stack or house; and not. in some other
countries, when will It by possibility answer to !
secure, leaning at the same time TO the doubt
ful side OF its fitness, rather than to leave 1t
another moment to the risks and casualties of
foul weather in the field.
Bit the present season with US has been es
traordinarv. No degree Of vigilance, activ1-
tv, or foresight could have secured our gram;
for the rains came on just at that crisis which
rendered the farmer utterly unable TO prevent
the calamity. But little of the grain which
had been cut was cured, and the remainder
standing in tie field had advanced Just SO far
in the process Of ,ipening AS to render It Pc
culisrly susceptible 10 the influences OF ger
a,ination The consequence Is, both the har-
vested grain and that standing in the field
have sprouted day by day, while the owners
stood by with heavy hearts. alike powsriess to
avert or 10 overcome the misfortune. But 1t
i.upon us. and now what its consequences to
health and comfort 10 be is matter OF alb
sorbing interest TO nearly all classes OF com
munIty.
A number Of experienced millers and for
warders Of this city who have for many years
b.en engaged in the trade in this garden of
the world for prime wheat and flour, assure
the writer that unless the grain IS mildewsd
or damaged otherwise than simply by germin-
a,ion, the flour produced therefrom is just as
white and Just as fair, in appearance TO the
eve. as though it had been manufactured out
Of the most perfect grain. There is loss OF
from 10 to 5 lbs. of flour 10 the barrel, that
is to saw sprouted wheat sufficient to make
barrel Of -four, would have produced, IT the
grain had been perfect 10 or ) lbs. over that
amount so that If tho miller could sell the
product at the same price, he could not afford
10 pav as much for sprouted as for unsprous-
ed wheat But he cannot sell II for so much,
unless he practices deception upon the pur-
chaser. such as no reputable dealer is willing
t. do. Instances more than one are known
to us of flour manufacturers Who called them /
selves reputable, and whose brand both IN
New York and Boston, was known on change
to be unsurpassed. have worked up poor heat
into SO called Extra tennessee bat the bar
rels were branded with an unknown. hctiti-
Gus, orirresp onsible name. The miller would
no more have put his own brand on such An
aflclS, IMAM ne WouItA s1aA aiAS AN''"SN
in the bottom Of the lake.
One safeguard, then, against purchase OF
inferior for first class fioIr is to obtain well
known and responsible brand. such an one SIS
may be depended upon; for the manufacturer
knows whether or not he is working up Per
feet wheat, and can brand 1t accordingy--
The -four of grown wheat is deficient in glu-
ten. which is the process Of termination has.
10 . certain sxtsnt, undergone chemical
change aud disappeared. ltassumes new
form under the name OF d'asf1se-possessinS
new properties, and is endowed with new
functions. 1t dissolvss in tepid water, and .:
temperature Of 1870 deg. 70 lao deg. fsh!en-
heir. it converts the starch Of the Hour INTO
grape sugar Hence arises the peculiar but
not un pleasant sweet taste Of bread made from
such flour If, therefore, the flour be anay-
lied. q deficiency Of gluten will be observed.
and its absence win indicate 1t once an i'm
perfect article. The amount Of gluten In
good flour is ten per cent M3
But the best test Of -four yet known is in
the making of bread. Under the ordinary
process of sponging and raising the dough Of
hour manufactured from sprouted wheat. the
bubbles of carbonic acid gensrated by the fer
mentation break through the sponge and ss-
cape, causing the paste to sink into heavy
mass. The bread when baked Is not unPai-
stable, indeed many people prefer its taste e
that made from the best -four; and probably
the great majority Of consumers would relish
il Is well If the product could BE- made equal
lyas light
Aside from the difficulty which the digss
i've organs havs TO encounter in mass o.