The occurrence of inositol in flour‐mill stocks

Abstract

Samples drawn at different stages during the commercial production of flour have been assayed for inositol using a microbiological method. By suitable extraction and hydrolysis techniques, total and free inositol have been estimated, and hence combined inositol by difference. The free inositol present is small and the results liable to a correspondingly increased margin of error. There are close correlations between total or combined inositol and ash and colour grade. Inositol and nitrogen contents show a much lower coefficient of correlation. Ether extracts of samples contained only small amounts of inositol; but it was not certain that complete extraction of lipid inositol was effected by ether, the most suitable solvent available. Less than 20% of the original total inositol appears in the finished white flour.