The different quantities of water were increased to give dough equal viscosity.
It must be remembered, in making comparisons from this table, that the saccharine matter in the bread is produced in one instance, by the action of the diastase contained in the malt extract, in the other by the action of the enzymes in the flour upon the partial disrupted starch granules of the flour itself, and in the third instance by the cane sugar used.
The results obtained from these experiments are interesting and worthy of careful consideration, inasmuch as ⅛ gm. of malt with 3 gm. of corn flakes (perfectly gelatinized starch) produced practically as much saccharine matter as when 2½ gm. of cane sugar was used. In other words furnishes the bread sufficient saccharine matter at the least possible cost. In addition to this the corn flakes absorbed twice its weight of moisture in the dough, thereby increasing bulk, a decided gain to the baker.
For the sake of argument, it is admitted that the same chemical action takes place when using any other highly starchy product which has been cooked. Corn flakes, however, eliminates any necessity for previous boiling, since it is already prepared in its manufacture and is very sensitive to the attack of diastasic action.
It is also a fact that some of the starch in the flour, which has become disrupted during the milling, is gelatinized by the heat of the oven during baking, giving diastase opportunity to convert some of the starch into sugar. But since raw starch does not gelatinize until the temperature has reached 150 degrees F., which temperature is already higher than the most favorable one for diastasic action, and the intervening time during which the temperature of the baking is increased to 175 degrees F. (a killing temperature for diastase), is very short, a relatively small amount of the gelatinized starch is converted and the baker therefore is compelled to add the more costly article, cane sugar, in order to produce the desired amount of saccharine matter in his bread. This fully explains the difference of saccharine matter found in experiments No. 2 and No. 3.
It further shows that bread containing gelatinized starch as found in corn flakes is fully as good a sugar producer as when using cane sugar, and, as before said, at the smallest possible cost.
To produce the maximum amount of sugar from corn flakes the proportions of malt extract and corn flakes as given, should be mixed in about two gallons of tepid water for each barrel of flour to be made into dough at a temperature of about 140 degrees F. Allow it to remain at this constant temperature for 1½ hours. In this time nearly all of the gelatinized starch of the corn flakes has become converted into maltose. In practice this would show that if 100 lbs. of cane sugar at a cost of $5 be used in bread work the same saccharine matter could be supplanted by using 116 lbs. of corn flake, a price of about $3.50 plus 18c worth of malt, making a total cost of $3.68, and shows a saving of $1.32 where 100 lbs. of sugar is employed.
Corn flakes, besides furnishing saccharine matter, has other advantages. It contains some mineral salts and proteids which are very acceptable nitrogenous foods and readily assimilated by the yeast, causing a rapid and vigorous fermentation.
They also prepare and soften the gluten, giving to the doughs that much desired velvety feeling, and the maximum expansion in the oven. Corn flakes and malt extract may also be used as a short ferment and makes it possible to decrease the amount of yeast usually used without affecting the quality of the bread.
A formula for pan bread which has been used for years and is giving good results is as follows: