Cereals and the various products made from grains form one of the most important foods for man. For the majority of people they furnish more nutriment than does any other class of food materials. Cereals have been defined as grasses,1 the grains of which are used for food. There are on the market many cereal preparations, cooked or uncooked, but these are made from a limited number of cereal grains and the properties of each preparation are dependent upon those of the cereal from which it is derived.

A cereal grain is a kernel2 containing a relatively small germ rich in protein and fat, and a relatively large endosperm containing much starch, little fat, and a moderate amount of protein, the whole inclosed in a fibrous covering called the bran. The bran consists of several layers, the outermost being of little food value, while the "aleurone layer" (which lies between the fibrous covering and the starchy interior but is apt to be rejected with the bran in ordinary milling processes) is rich in protein and in phosphorus, calcium, and iron compounds of much value in nutrition. A "whole grain" product is therefore a more complete food than the "finer" product made from the endosperm only, but the latter (largely because it is poor in protein, fat, and ash constituents) is apt to keep longer than the former.

1 Since a few of the edible grains, such as buckwheat, are seeds of plants not belonging to the grass family, the term "grains" is somewhat broader than "cereals."

2 See Sherman's Food Products, pages 270-272, for description and illustrations of the structure of the wheat kernel.

The percentage composition of the different grains and of the various products manufactured from them may be found in Bulletin 28, Office of Experiment Stations, U. S. Department of Agriculture, or in Shermams Food Products, Chapter VIII (Eggs, Souffles, And Croquettes).

How to purchase cereals: Cereals do not keep well after being opened, as parasites are apt to appear. Therefore, purchase a small stock at a time. Cereals in bulk are cheaper, but not always as clean as those sold in packages. Grocers should be encouraged to keep bulk cereals in bins or other containers which are dust-proof and insect-proof.

Reasons for cooking cereals :

1. Softens the cellulose.

2. Bursts the starch grains.

3. Increases the palatability.

Methods of cooking:

Boiling in water or milk; example, rice. Steaming in water or milk; example, corn meal. Heat in the oven; example, corn flakes. Toast; example, shredded wheat.

Methods of serving: Hot. Cold.

Puddings. Thickening for croquettes. Fritters. Browned Slices.

Variations in serving:

Cream and sugar. Cream. Butter and sugar. Butter. Prune sauce. Apple sauce or sirup. Maple sugar. Corn sirup. Fresh fruit. Dried fruit. Creamed beef. Pudding sauce.

Differences in consistency: Breakfast cereal. Mush. Porridge. Gruel. Cereal water.

Experiments

49. - Make the following tests with iodine. See page 13.

1/2 tsp. dry cornstarch 1/2 tsp. moist cornstarch 1/2 tsp. cooked cornstarch Observe change in color of iodine.

50. - Make the same test with iodine, using the following cereals, cooked, moist, raw: rice corn meal shredded wheat cream of wheat wheat flour force

51. - Wash a little rice and test the water with iodine. See page 13. Result? Why do you observe a change?

52. - Collect a little saliva in test tubes. Add to this small amounts of the cooked and uncooked cereal, let stand in warm water ten minutes. Test part with iodine and part with Fehling-Benedict solution (page 13). Conclusion?

53. - We have shown that starch is present in large quantities; we will now compare the thickening qualities of the following cereals: corn meal rolled oats cream of wheat rice

Use 1/4 c. each of the above cereals. Mix each in saucepans of uniform size and shape with: a. 1 c. cold water. Bring to boiling point and boil 15 minutes.

b. 1 c. boiling water. Boil 15 minutes.

c. In each case how much water must be added to prevent burning and to reduce to the consistency of breakfast cereal?

d. What individual variations in the thoroughness of cooking appear at the end of the 15 minutes?

e. Is it best to start cereals cooking in boiling or cold water? f. Make a table of the amount of water required with each of the cereals used. Reduce it in each case by 1/4 and again cook 1/4 c. of the cereals, this time using a double boiler.

g. Why was the amount of water reduced?

h. Compare the products when saucepan and double boiler are used.

i. What advantages has the double boiler?

54. - When should salt be added to the cereal?

a. Measure two portions of rice, A and B, 1/4 c. in each portion.

b. Steam A in double boiler, adding salt to the rice as usual.

c. Steam B in double boiler, salting rice as in A, but also adding rock salt to the water in lower part, in the proportion of 2 tbsp. to 1 c. water. Note the temperature of the water in lower part of double boiler in each case.

d. Compare the length of time required for the cooking of the rice in each case. How do you explain the difference?

55. - a. Steam the following cereals, using milk as compared with water for the liquid:

b. Compare as to taste, color. What possible objection could be raised to the long cooking of milk when used as a liquid with cereals? Is it a vital objection?

56. - a. Use 1/2 c. rolled oats plus the requisite amount of water for breakfast cereal as decided upon in Expt. 53 f.

Cook \ the amount of oatmeal and water in the fireless cooker.

Cook the other half in the pressure cooker.

b. Note the length of time required in each case to cook the cereal.

Explain the differences in length of time.

c. What is the consistency of the cereal? Why?

57. - Reduce the amount of water by 1/4 and cook the cereal in both pressure and tireless cooker. Note the consistency of this mixture.

58. - Repeat until the proper amount of water per unit of cereal is determined for each cooker.

59. - Determine the proper amount of water to be used per unit of: corn meal rice cream of wheat malt

60. - Compute the economy in time, fuel, and labor when the pressure and tireless cookers are used.

61. - Compute the length of time in which each cooker would pay for itself in the cost of fuel saved.

Compare the results obtained in the above experiments with the corresponding data in the following tabular summary and discuss any points which may not seem to agree.