The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-03-14
Salad OIL Found In Corn.

"heylc d olive of Southern Europe
may be supplantcd by oil from Ameri-
can corn, which is said to be better
than the imported article. According
to expert chemists, a method has at
last been found by which an oil, re-
sembling in consistency and flavor
that which is taken from the olive,
may be extracated from the laden cobs
OF the country cornfeld. To a Chi
cago woman belongs the credit for hay-
ing discovered method by which the
crude oil, with its offensive odor and
impractical value as a food product,
may be SO changed as to partake of the
nature of olive oil. Owing to the re-
ported failure of the olive crop and
the consequent scarcity of an article
which forms the basis for many a
dainty salad, the find is at this time
looked upon as being most oppor-
tune.
American mills turn out annually
more than 100000 gallons Of oil,
which they extract from maize during
the process known as "dcgcrming."
Before corn is shipped for export, to
avoid rancidity in the cargo, every
kernel must undergo a certain method
by which the little fcck Of yellow
known as the germ is removed.
This contains Is per cent. Of an
oleaginous substance which the chem
ist has been unable to put to better
use than as substitute for linsecd oil
in paints and for fabrication. It's
value as foodstuff, outside of its be-
ing unpalatable, is enhanced by the
fact that it is said to be far more di-
gcstible than any Of the present oils
used for culinary purposes. It's scope
OF usefulness, however, was retarded
in so much that an army Of chemists
after repeated effort failed to rectify
the oil owing to its effervescent char
acter.
Miss Emma Sickles, of 5435 Wash
ington avenue, who for years has been
identified with the domestic science
propaganda, has, after two years cx-
perimenting, succeeded in so changing
the nature Of the product that the
time is not far distant, it is conf
dently asserted, when Italy and
Spain's olive oil export will not b. de-
pended upon to supply American
kitchens with the article SO much used
in the present day. Glucose compau-
les in this country have spent thous
ands Of dollars in their endcavor to
clarity and remove the odor and dis
agreeable taste from the unctuous
waste, but all have met with failure
One Of these: The Peoria Glucose com
pany, is said to have expended more
than $4,000 for the purpose, but all
methods tended to prove that the feat
could not be accomplished. Doctor
George Ely, chief Of the oil depart
ment of the United States Patent Of
fee, and chemist Of repute. told Miss
Sickles when she secured patent on
the process that repeated attempts
had been made by analysis all over the
country, and that her plan was tho on
ly successful one. Others insisted
that it could not be done; that the eff
fervcscent character Of the oil pre-
cluded any possibility Of any such
chemical change.
II consider that my formula is but
another phase Of the great utility Of
the corn as an article Of food said
Miss Sicklcs SIT is nutritious and
Of much greater value than many at
present suppose. This will likely be
demonstrated at the great corn kitch-
en- which will be part Of the Ameri-
can exhibits at the Paris Exposition.
The process use is very simple. For
instance, I take the crude corn oil,
boil it in porous clay vessel for two
| OF three hours, according to the ranci-
dity. Then, by means Of bone char
coal, 1 filter it through the same kind
Of clay, which, peculiarly enough, has
q different chemical effect when heat
ed, and serves as fuller's earth when
cold. That is all there is to it. I
can rectify it at cost of less than 10
cents gallon by putting into use the
same kind of machinery required to
purify other oils.
AT present person may buy any
quantity Of the crude product for 25
cents gallon; when it has been recti-
fed its value amounts to nearly 81 for
the same quantity. One milling firm
in Marshalltown, Ia., handles 1900
bushels Of corn every day, and from