Some points in the analysis of meat extracts and allied preparations, with notes on their dietetic value : being the results of a series of analyses / performed by Professor Hugh Galt ... in the public health laboratory of Glasgow University during session 1898-99.

  • Galt, Hugh Miller.
Date:
1900-1901
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Some points in the analysis of meat extracts and allied preparations, with notes on their dietetic value : being the results of a series of analyses / performed by Professor Hugh Galt ... in the public health laboratory of Glasgow University during session 1898-99. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

    12/24 (page 8)
    Armour's Extract of Meat, - - - 2-929 per cent. Bovinine, - - - - .- • - O'O Bovril, - - - ... 4-873 Liebig's Extract, .... 0-752 Lipton's Extract, .... 5'I07 Valentine's Meat Juice, - - - o'o Wyeth's Beef Juice, .... 4 575 The results shown by this table are highly interesting, but one ource of possible fallacy must be pointed out. The normal per- centage of chloride present in lean meat (06 per cent, for every 1 per cent, of total solids) is calculated on the assumption that the total solids are entirely derived from the meat. That this is not always the case is well known ; albumen and gelatine, for example, are sometimes added from extraneous sources, and thus the co- relation of total solids and chlorides is interfered with. Further, reference to the table of microscopic appearances (pages 11 el seq.), shows that in some cases matters entirely foreign to meat go to swell the proportion of total solids present. There can be no doubt that from a dietetic point of view the presence of chlorides in excess is prejudicial. It is a matter of common knowledge that salted foods are of comparatively low dietetic value. Salt in excess impairs or destroys the flavour, thus interfering with the quality of sapidity which plays a not unimportant part in the value of any food. Apart from its action on the flavour, an excess of common salt alters the constitution of the meat juices, and coagulates, partially at least, some of its constituents. Its addition to meat extracts is for the purpose of preservation, and (from its hygroscopic property), of assisting to keep the extract in a pasty condition.* In the liquid preparations of meat a liquid preservative can be employed (for example, alcohol or chloroform is used in Bovinine), and there is no use otherwise for added salt. In this connection it is interesting to note that in Bovinine and Valentine's Meat Juice not only is there no added sodium chloride, but the propor- tion is even rather less than should be normally present, judged by the percentage of total solids. The estimation of the chlorides was performed in the usual way, N by means of — AgN08 with K.,C04 as indicator, the ash being * Pure sodium chloride is not hygroscopic, but common salt, containing traces of magnesium chloride as an impurity, is markedly so.