Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-21
DLEACHED FLOUR GETS JOLT.
Speakers at Bakers Convention Rap
Artificial Whitening,
OMAHA MAN ESPECIALLY SEVERE
~. Parnen Declares Process Iniures
Quality Of bread, with NoHiOus
Results TO COnsumers OF
oven Product.

Bleached flour, which had lts inning at
the forenoon session Of the convention OF
the Nebraska Master Bakers association.
got a severe scoring at the afternoon meet
ing at the hands Of e. Parnell Of Omaha, a
bread maker Of wide experience. and Mrs.
F. J. Burnett Of the domestic science de-
psrtment OF the woman's club. Several
members Of the association also took sly
shots at the artifioially whitened products
during the discussion following the ad-
dresses.
LAS a manufacturer Of millions Of loaves
OF bread a year / am absolutely opposed TO
the bleaching Of flour said Mr.. Parnell.
Il have made tests and l want to ask the
mlllers who favor blesched flour this ques-
ton: Does It permit the use OF inferior
product of low grade in short patent flour7
1 am not going TO answer that question,
but / want the millers to tell us.
Il recently made a trip to the Canadian
northwest and found all the mills up there
doing away with the bleaching process be-
cause It enables INSCRIPTIONS millers to
use an inferior product without detection.
II also to a large extent affects the flavor
of bread. The flavor OF bread today Is not
what it was a few years ago before they
began bleaching the flour.
"A number OF bread manufacturer of my
acquaintance got together to discuss the
reason why they were unable to turn out
bread Of as good flavor as they did form
erly. They found that It was because the
millers had been giving them bleached
flour. II produces a bread Of dry, harsh
taste which will not remain fresh twenty
four hours. The result of this is that peo-
pie must eat the bread while It Is too fresh
and this Is not good for them.
II believe the best bakers bread 1 have
ever eaten any place 1 have eaten In
Omaha, but lately / have found 1t is not
regular. This Is because Of the careless
bleaching of the flour"
Miller Named Miller I'm Defense.
The attack on the whitening process
brought c. ]. Miller, a miller Of Lincoln,
to his feet in defense. He declared bleach
ing did not deceive the bakers because
while it is whittier the quality of 1t would
come out in the baking test. 1t was not
Injurious, he said, because it had been de-
termined that in order to take a fatal dose
Of the poison one would have to eat 100000
pounds of bleached flour bread at one
sitting.
Mrs. F. J. Burnett of the woman's club
added a word on the subject when she rose
to discuss The Housekeeper's View Of the
Bakery"
Il and the women who are studying in
my department have talked over the
bleached flour question and we want the
unbleached flour. We don't care II it has
a little color to it."
Mrs. Burnett delivered her address from
a chair and was loudly cheered even when
she scored the bakeries for some Of the
practices she objected to. e
The other papers read at the afternoon
session were Advantages OF organiza-
tion,'' by M. ]. Mulgrew of Dubuque, Ia,
vice president of the national association,
and System and Cost Accounting" by
AugustsC. Junge of Joplin, MO-, which was
read in Mr.. Junge's absence by Secretary
jay Burns.
VIII Re-eIect Old Officers.
The association without doubt will be
differed by the same men next year who
have been at the helm this year. A mo-
ton was passed under the head of nominal
ions for office. naming as candidates all
the present officers. The election will be
held this morning and as there is but one
set Of nominees there probably will be no
contest. The officers are as follows:
President, George f. WOLF, Fremont.
Vice president. P. F. Peterson.
Secretary, jay Burns, Omaha.
Treasurer, p. w. wager.
The convention next year probably will
be held in one of the smaller towns of the
state.
At the close of the regular session the
Satt,, nrdar 81 Drat1aie hold q aoocfor In
Eagles hall. at which a Nebraska "bak-
ing" was organized. William H.. Korn,
Master Big Twist. of Davenport, Ia, pre-
sided.
Nebraska wheat for Nebraska bread"
was the slogan at the morning session and
the ears OF that popular cereal must have
burned fiercely for all the good things said
about It by the speakers.
Prof. E. G. Montgomery of the Univer-
slty Of Nebraska gave the product of Ne
braska wheat fields a boost when he de-
clared, while not quite up to some other
wheats in color. the Nebraska variety had
a flavor peculiarly it's own. The south
eastern corner of the state. he said, had
TOO much rainfall to produce a good, hard
quality, but the middle section was ideal
for wheat raising.
Montgomery FavOrs Bleaching.
Nebraska is able to produce" ne said,
"a high quality gluten wheat. The only
objection is its color. and that Is obviated
by bleaching. When We are able to con-
vince the government we will not have to
convince the people that bleaching does
not injure the flour; the only objection to
the Nebraska product win be removed, In
spite OF this handicap Nebraska wheat is
] sailing hfakAr In Omaha than fha narfharn
spring wheat is selling In Minneapolis. 1t
is securing recognition In spite OF it's color.
II Is simply a matter Of education"