The Chemistry of CookeryWilliams, W. Mattieu (William Mattieu)
Science
The Chemistry of Cookery
Williams, W. Mattieu (William Mattieu)
Cooking
The same is the case as regards the fat. The quantity in the carcass
of oxen, calves, sheep, lambs, and pigs varies, according to Dr.
Edward Smith, from 16 per cent. to 31·3 per cent. in moderately fatted
animals; while in whole-milk cheeses it varies from 21·68 per cent. to
32·31 per cent., coming down in skim-milk cheeses as low as 6·3. Dr.
Smith includes Neufchâtel cheese, containing 18·74 per cent., among the
whole-milk cheeses. He does not seem to be aware that the cheese made
up between straws and sold under that name is a _ricotta_, or crude
curd of skim-milk cheese. Its just value is about threepence per pound.
In Italy, where it forms the basis of some delicious dishes (such as
_budino di ricotta_[11]), it is sold for about twopence per pound, or
less.
There is a discrepancy in the published analyses of casein which
demands explanation here, as it is of great practical importance. They
generally correspond to the above of Mulder within small fractions, as
shown below in those of Scherer and Dumas:
Scherer Dumas
Carbon 54·665 53·7
Hydrogen 7·465 7·2
Nitrogen 15·724 16·6
Oxygen, sulphur 22·146 22·5
------- -----
100·000 100·0
In these the 100 parts are made up without any phosphate of lime,
while, according to Lehmann (‘Physiological Chemistry,’ vol. i. p.
379, Cavendish Edition), ‘casein that has not been treated with acids
contains about 6 per cent. of phosphate of lime; more, consequently,
than is contained in any of the protein compounds we have hitherto
considered.’
From this it appears that we may have casein with, and casein without,
this necessary constituent of food. In precipitating casein for
laboratory analysis, acids are commonly used, and thus the phosphate
of lime is dissolved out; but I am unable at present to tell my
readers the precise extent to which this actually occurs in practical
cheese-making where rennet is used. What I have at present learned
only indicates generally that this constituent of cheese is very
variable; and I hereby suggest to those chemists who are professionally
concerned in the analysis of food, that they may supply a valuable
contribution to our knowledge of this subject by simply determining
the phosphate of lime contained in the ash of different kinds of
cheese. I would do this myself, but, having during some ten years past
nearly forsaken the laboratory for the writing-table, I have not the
leisure for such work; and, worse still, have not that prime essential
to practical research (especially of endowed research), a staff of
obedient assistants to do the drudgery.
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