§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food why the flour used for national bread is still prepared by separating the wheat germ in the process of milling; whether he is aware that the method by which the wheat is washed, the flour bleached and an uncertain proportion of the separated germ then restored to the flour producing an 85 per cent. extraction is recognised as producing a less nutritive flour than the process in which separation is not thus effected; and if he will institute the procedure giving the more nutritive flour?
§ Mr. MabaneI am not aware that national flour is being made in the way described by my hon. Friend. If he has any information on the subject, I shall be pleased to consider it.
§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his attention has been drawn to the experiment conducted by three scientists of the Children's Nutrition Council of Cambridge, in which they examined 17 samples of national bread obtained from widely separate sources, in seven of which the Ministry's specification with regard to the maximum fibre content was not complied with; and will he consider constantly checking the quality of the national loaf?
§ Mr. MabaneI have seen the report of the experiments conducted by the Cambridge branch of the Children's Nutrition Council. These experiments were made on flours milled before national flour became compulsory and confirm to a large extent the results of the larger survey carried out on similar flours by the Research Association of British Flour Millers on behalf of my Department. The difficulties connected with the standardisation of so small a part of a miller's production were removed when national flour became compulsory, and I observe that this report to which my hon. Friend refers recognises the improved quality of national flour since its compulsory introduction. With regard to the last part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 21st July [Official Report, col. 1422, Vol. 381].
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§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Parliamentary Secretary' to the Ministry of Food what are the exact quantities of wheat germ now being produced by controlled millers; and whether he will give a list of the purposes, other than national bread, for which millers are authorised by confidential instructions or Statutory Orders, to use this product?
§ Mr. MabaneThe latest figures available are for the period up to nth July last. In the two weeks ending on that day, the average production of wheat germ was at the rate of 19 tons per week. With regard to the second part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 16th July last [Official Report, col. 1375, Vol. 381].