CORN FLAKES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 370, 13 September 1930, Page 16 (Supplement)

CORN FLAKES

HOW THEY ARE MADE. Little is known about the process of manufacture of cum flakes ami other ready-to-eat cereals, for most of it takes place in the United States of America, yet there is perhaps, no more specialised occupation re are there factories anywhere which arc more equipped. As the name implies, corn is the grain from which the corn flake cereal is made. Only the best grade of white corn is used. This is stored in tanks. The first processes through which the corn goes are those of cleaning and steaming. The steam softens the hull so that it can be removed. The germ of the corn is rich in oil. If this were not removed, the corn flakes would become rancid. Machinery takes out the germ. The clean white remainder called “grits” is then mixed with flavouring made from malt, sugar and salt. It is cooked for three hours under steam pressure. The white colour is changed to a warm, healthy brown. The cooked grits arc dried by hot air before going to the machines which roll them into flakes.

Fl king is done by means 01 rollers which come together with forty tons oi pressure pressing me golden brown grits together into thin flakes. These flakes come out of the machine onto belts which carry them to the toasting ovens. The toasting is done in enormous drum ovens which revolve over gas flames, ine flakes enter one end of the oven and are turned over and over as they travel to the other end. At the completion of this very short journey—it only lasts about a minutethe corn flakes are crisp and brown. The corn flakes are conveyed on belts to huge tanks where they are cooled before being sent to the packing room They are fed by gravity into cartons which have been fitted with inner waxtite bags. The filling is done by automatic scale'to assure a standard weight foj each package. The waxtite bag is folded and sealed by heat and the tops of the cartons are folded and sealed by machinery. The inner sealed bag keeps the corn flakes fresh and crisp by excluding air and moisture. This also assures retention of the flavour. Corn flakes are considered by expert dieticians to be high in heat and energy building value and when served with milk or cream provide tissue building material as well.

One of the outstanding producers of corn flakes is the Kellogg Company of Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S.A, where, it is claimed, over a million packages of corn flakes are manufactured daily. Kellogg is the largest manufacturer of ready-to-eat cereals in the world and Battle Creek, Michigan, is said to be one of the most healthful locations in America.

A visit to the Kellogg factory is a most amazing and interesting experience. It covers 25 acres of floor space and is situated—for the sake of cleanliness—in the outskirts of the city. About 2,000 people are employed They work in eight-hour shifts, 24 hours a day. Even the cartons and shipping containers are made in the factory. This entails the yearly consumption of 150,000 tons of 'paper. Over twelve tons of wax are used each week to make the necessary quantity of wax paper for the inner sealed waxtite wrapper which Kel’ogg originated. Kellogg manufactures other cereals from rice an 1 wheat. Branch factories are oyrai-ed at claid, Ohio,, U.S.A.; Linljn. Ontar.i, Canadi-; Sydney, Australia.