Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1912-03-23
Corn Syrup and Corn Sugar.


An article by w. NJ. Cobleligh, chem
list Montana Agricultural college,
1t is estimated that during the year
1910 fifty million bushels of corn were
used in the United States in the manu-
facture of what are called corn prod
ucts. These manufactured products, as
would naturally be supposed from the
above statement, are numerous and
commercially important. This article
deals only with the syrups and sugars
that are made from corn.
The corn kernel is composed of three
parts. The hull constitutes about per
cent of the kernel, the germ about 10
per cent and the endosperm about IS
per cent. The last named portion of
the kernel, which is rich in starch, is
the one used in the manufactured
syrups and sugars. These component
parts of the grain are softened and
loosened by sleeping in water. A pro
cess of coarse grinding gives mixture
of hull, germ and endosperm, which is
then separated by a method which takes
advantage of the difference in the spe-
cifc gravity of the three parts of the
kernel
The endosperm, which is composed of
starch and gluten, is then separated into
its component parts, and the starch thus
prepared used for making syrup and
sugar.
The process of converting starch into
corn syrup is simple in principle. When
starch is mixed with water and heated
under pressure in the presence of a
very small amount of hydrochloric acid
it is converted into a mixture of glu-
cose and dextrine. The acid does not
enter into the composition of the prod
net. BY its presence, or rather by what
is known as contact or catalytic action,
il brings about n chemical union be-
tween portion of the starch and water
to form glucose, and changes the re-
mainder of the starch to dextrine, an
intermediate product between the
starch and glucose The acid is then
converted into common table salt by
treatment with carbonate of soda. The
solution is filtered and decolorized by
passing through bone black. 1t is then
concentrated by evaporation and i:
then rehdv for the market as corr
; syrup. The production of this article
Far Tho year 1910 was soc, 000,00C
pounds.
Corn syrup has great variety Of
uses. 1t is mixed with cane sugar tC
make a table syrup. 1t is used for con
fectionery, jams, jellies and preserves
Other uses are for brewing of beers
canning meats, making chewing to
bacco, tanning leather, silvering mir
, rors, etc.
Rv continuing the acid treatment de
scribed above until great part of tn
starch is converted into glucose, prod
uct is made that will crystalline. II
this manner are made various grade
, of corn sugar, which are used in TIL
r manufacture of caramel, vinegar, lacti
acid for tanning, and in the brewing o
t beers, ales and porters. Two hundred
! and thirty million pounds of sugar wer
manufactured in the year 1910.
. Food experts agree that corn syrul
, and corn sugars, when properly made
are wholesome and nutritious. The man
ufacturers of these products claim tina
no injurious things remain in the fin
: ished article. In the processes of diges
: tion all the sugars used as food, ant
4 also starch are converted into glucose
> which is absorbed by the blood and car
| ried to various parts of the body AM
q burned to keep up body heat and t.
/ supply energy. Any excess of glucose
more than is required for immediat
use of the body is stored in the live
and muscle as glycogen. This is trans
formed into glucose as needed. This
the scientific basis for stating that pur
+ glucose, free from injurious substance
Z is a valuable article of diet.
It's difficult for a rounder to kee
\ in the straight and narrow path.