USE OF LEMON JUICE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 27 March 1936, Page 2

USE OF LEMON JUICE

MANUFACTURE OF BREAD FURTHER PARTICULARS OF IMPORTANT DISCOVERY Further particulars concerning the investigations being carried out by Mr E, \V. llullett, chemist to the Wheat Research Institute, into the use of lemon juice as a bread improver, were given yesterday by the Minister ot Scientific and Industrial Research (the lion. D. G. Sullivan), states “The Rost.” The Minister stated that for a long lime past, many New' Zealand bakers had’ expressed a wish that the Health Department should relax its regulations and permit the use of chemical improvers, it being considered that these rendered many advantages in the manufacture of a staple loaf from our “weak” New Zealand flours. “The Health Department has, however, in the interests of public health, been steadily opposed to the use of chemical improvers,” said Mr Sullivan) “and only recently has this rule been in any way modified to the extent that the use of calcium phosphate is now permitted. In all the chemical improvers which have been prepared an essential ingredient has .been a bromate salt, generally potassium bromate, the use of which is, of course, prohibited in New Zealand either by itself or in combination with other chemicals. “The Wheat Research Institute has, in its efforts to turn out a still better loaf, been carrying out investigations with the object of ascertaining some material which would act as an improver and yet come within the scope of the health regulations. Mr Hullett has been keenly following fundamental chemical work earned out overseas, and was attracted by a recently-published work by Holger Jorgenson, of Copenhagen, Denmark, who was engaged on the investigation of how bromates brought about an improvement in bread quality. Very little is understood about* the action of improvers, but the theory which Jorgensen had developed led him to try pure vitamin C, ascorbic acid, in bread. He did this because fhe knew that- vitamin C had a hindering effect on certain meat enzymes, and he suggested that bromates acted in a like planner on dough enzymes. His experiment was successful, and chemically pure vitamin . C proved itself to be an excellent bread improver, with similar potency and effects to potassium bromate. “PROPORTION OF JUICE” “Mr Hullett, recognising that vitamin; C was to be found in the juice of various fruits and vegetables, acted on this clue, and tried out the effect of the juices on a large number of New Zealand flours, and has found that the use of locally-grown lemon juice has an improving effect equal to potassium bromate. The amount of lemon .juice required is about one-seventh of a gallon of commercial juice per 2001 b sack of flour, and with juice at 2s 6d per gallon this involves an additional cost to tlie baker of approximately' 4Ad per sack. “Mr Hullett, in association with Mr Jenkinson, baker to the Wheat Research Institute, has already carried out tests with the flour made from a large number of New. Zealand wheats, and it is found that some, especially that from stronger wheat such as Jumbuck, give a truly remarkable response to the treatment. From the baker’s point of view the loaf volume is increased and . the general, external appearance of the loaf improved. Tight : glutton, loaves, for example, develop into i well shaped loaves. The colour oftthe bread is improved, its pile is better; and the crumb 'texture is altered to advantage, while no trace of any lemon taint remains.

“Bakers who have examined the trial loaves prepared by the Wheat Research Institute have commented very favourably oil the improvement made, and'steps will now be taken at the institute to undertake commercial trials and standardisation of materials used in order that the discovery may be fully used by all concerned. "This discovery has also an important bearing on the citrus industry, as it will afford another outlet for absorption of lemons, the juice of which will require to be prepared and standardised in a form suitable for use in the baking industry. This discovery indicates another (example of funda. mental scientific investigations being made use of to help in the improvement of ait important foodstuff and thus assisting at least two of the Dominion’s industries.” The Minister paid a tribute to the work of the Wheat Institute and the special staff connected with this matter.