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carried out, but the addition of other ingredients can have a big
effect. These additional ingredients may be fat and milk products,
usually skim milk powder, and both increase the nutritional value
of the bread which is, however, basically determined by the flour
used.
Soya flour products are known to be widely used in very small
quantities in bread making (12 ozs per sack of 280 lbs of flour) and
cannot easily be detected. Addition of soya flour to such a small
extent is not sufficient to affect the nutritive value of the bread but,
at the same time, it cannot be regarded as a chemical addition. It
is said to inhibit staling.
All the samples examined were made from white flour.
Analytical Results
In the detailed examination undertaken the following constituents
were determined:
1. Moisture
This is not significant in itself, but the higher the moisture
content, the more the other constituents are diluted.
2. Protein
This is an important factor. Normally it would be derived
solely from the flour but if a milk product has been used
as an ingredient this would substantially increase the
protein content.
3. Fat
Flour naturally contains a trace of oil, and bread made
with no added fat would contain about 0.7 to 1.2 per cent
oils and fats.
4. Mineral Matter
This consists of (1) the salt which has been added (approximately
1 per cent), (2) potash, lime, magnesia, iron,
phosphates and sulphur compounds natural to wheat flour,
and (3) additives, viz., creta praeparata and iron.
5. Carbohydrates
This is mainly starch, but includes a very small proportion
of fibre, natural to wheat flour, which is not digestible.
6. Iron
The human diet must contain sufficient iron. If the
outside portion of the wheat grain is discarded (as in the
case when white flour is milled, with only 70 to 72 per cent
extraction) the iron content is drastically reduced; from
3.55 mgms per 100 gms for wholemeal flour, down to 0.92
mgms per 100 gms for white flour (70 to 72 per cent
extraction). Under the Flour (Composition) Regulations