A Note on the Use of Wheat Starch in "Synthetic" Rations.

Abstract

In the preparation of vitamin-free synthetic rations for animal experiments the purification of ingredients is a time consuming task. A starch which does not seem to need purification for vitamin B work may be of interest. Wheat starch, a by-product in the manufacture of gluten, was found to be considerably cheaper than the best grade of pure corn starch and entirely lacking in the antineuritic factor. Over 60 rats were used in making the comparisons and checking the results reported here. Polyneuritis developed in from 3 to 4 weeks when a ration containing wheat starch, purified casein, salt mixture, crisco, and cod liver oil was supplemented with 0.5 gm. daily of autoclaved yeast. There was no apparent difference between the response on the raw starch and on that which had been autoclaved for 3 hours at 18 lbs. pressure when food intake was limited to the same amount for all rats. In a preliminary series of tests the rats receiving the synthetic ration containing autoclaved starch made a greater tempora...