=Oat Products.=--As has been intimated before, the principal oat products, as far as food is concerned, are the various forms of oatmeal commonly classed as breakfast foods. These products are prepared in various forms of agglutination and physical texture but if made from genuine oats, as there is little cause for doubt, they have essentially the same composition and nutritive power. It is doubtful if there is any preparation of oatmeal any more nutritious or palatable than the plain oat grain properly cooked. The forms in which the oat products are offered to the public are perhaps more convenient for use and in some cases by reason of heating and preparation require less trouble, but otherwise they apparently have no advantage over the simple product. The mean composition of a number of oat flour products is shown in the following table: Moisture, 7.66 percent Protein, 15.48 „ Ether extract, 7.46 „ Crude fiber, 1.20 „ Ash, 1.29 „ Starch and sugar, 67.61 „ In the dry substance: Protein, 16.77 percent Ether extract, 8.08 „ Crude fiber, 1.38 „ Ash, 1.94 „ Starch and sugar, 73.20 „ Calories, 4,875 It is evident from the above average analysis that the products examined are made from the whole kernel without the removal of the germ but with a very careful removal of the hull and bran. The composition of these products compares very favorably with the typical composition of the kernel itself. These data show the high nutritive value of these oat products, both in respect of fat and protein. [Illustration: FIG. 29.--OAT STARCH. × 200.--(_Courtesy of Bureau of Chemistry._)] =Adulterations.=--There are very few adulterations of oatmeal. Fortunately the price of this cereal is such that the admixture of other cereals would not be profitable. Doubtless such admixtures have often been made but evidently, from the examination of the products upon the open market, they are not very frequent. The characteristic appearance of oat starch is shown in Fig. 29. Oat starch grains average about 10 microns in diameter. There are usually present some grains of somewhat oval shape, which assist in identifying oat products when present. The starch granules also have a tendency to agglutinate into masses of varying size, as shown in the photograph.