Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1914 [PAGE 256]

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254

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

[June 10,

"A valuable feature of Professor Grindley's work the past year has been the very satisfactory improvement of the methods used for the nitrogen determinations." "The investigations with meat at the University of Illinois, in charge of Professor H. S. Grindley, have been conducted under very favorable conditions. The University has furnished the use of an especially well equipped laboratory, and, in addition, contributed a considerable sum toward the nutrition investigations. The meat used in the investigations was contributed free of cost by the Illinois Experiment Station, and the animals from which the material was taken were bred, grown and fattened under known conditions. The Department of Household Science of the University also rendered valuable assistance in the investigation. Beef, veal, mutton and pork were the meats studied. "Professor Grindley and his associates conducted forty-five cooking experiments during the past year. In these experiments the inner temperature, flavors, losses and other changes resulting in the boiling, roasting, frying, broiling, sauteing, also the influence of covered and closed pans upon the above processes, were determined, as well as the effects of these factors upon the digestibility and nutritive value of the meat. Some of the experiments also included the influence of salt in varying quantities upon the losses, changes and modification of flavors which meats undergo during the process of boiling, in addition to the toughness and tenderness of raw and uncooked meats by means of a special machine which Professor Grindley has recently perfected." "Professor H. S. Grindley and his associates have carried on thirty-five experiments on the changes in the nutritive value and the flavor, color and texture when meat is cooked, and the possibilities of regulating conditions so that roast meat of uniform character may be obtained. This work has necessitated a study of the character of the extractives and other constituents of the cooked and raw meat and of the bodies which produce the characteristic flavor of cooked meat. "The investigations have shown the way in which thoroughness of cooking and in large degree the quality of the cooked product depend upon the initial temperature of the oven and the length of the cooking period, factors which may be readily controlled. "The investigations have also shown that after meat is removed from the oven the temperature of the interior of the roast continues to rise for a time, owing to the passage of heat from the outer layer to the interior of the uncut roast. In other words, cooking continues after meat is removed from the oven. "Following the deductions from the experiments, it is, possible to cook meat to any desired degree from very rare to very well done and have, the results the same from time to time, and the methods outlined can readily be used in the household. "When meat is roasted some loss in .weight is sustained,, owing principally to the evaporation of water and the removal of fat, which melts and runs out into the pan. "The flavor of roast meat is largely due to the browning .of the meat extractives." "At the University of Illinois Professor H. S. Grindley and his associates have carried on forty-five artificial digestion experiments with different kinds and cuts of meat to study the effects of different methods of cooking oh ease and rapidity of digestion, and have also made cooking experiments which were undertaken to secure additional information regarding the changes and losses sustained by meat when cooked in different ways. As a whole, the work at the University of Illinois has shown that it is possible to control cooking processes so that uniform results may be obtained. Meats of all kinds and cuts are to be ranked among the very digestible foods. No great differences were observed in the ease or thoroughness of digestion of different kinds and cuts of meat." « Extracts of letters of Dr. A. C. True, Director, of Experiment Stations, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., which show the intention of making the University of Illinois a center for nutrition investigation along the line of the chemistry of meat, and which also show the interest and the value which these experiments are considered by the United States Department of Agriculture to have: "We want to make our work at the University of Illinois as strong as possible along the line of meat investigations." "As regards your own work, we, of course, expect to continue investigations on meats for years before we have exhausted the subject, but you have made some definite progress each year and the particular lines of your work are changing as definite results are obtained. It is because you have obtained such useful results that we desire to continue and extend your work." "As you know it is our desire to develop nutrition investigation at the University of Illinois." Quotations from letters of Professor W. O. Atwarer, special agent in charge of nutrition investigations for the United States Department of Agriculture, which show the intention of the department to make the University of. Illinois a center for nutrition investigations along the lines of the study of meats: "The subject is important and you have the field in this country." "I think you are doing and can do an excellent thing." . • » "I know very well that you will do all you can as you have done in the past. I consider the work you are doing very important and am anxious to see it extended." "I have not had time to read your manuscript through with any degree of care, but a hurried examination implies that the work is even more extended and valuable than I. had anticipated." . "Dr. True and I are both anxious to do all that can be done to encourage your work." "We are now going over your last manuscript and hope to write you about it soon. I am more and more impressed with the importance of the line of inquiry you are engaged in and wish you the best of success."