WHEAT GERM IN BREAD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24409, 21 September 1940, Page 3

WHEAT GERM IN BREAD

TO THE EDITOR Sir, —In his recent announcement concerning his department’s new process for incorporating wheat germ in bread, Dr McMillan, Minister for Industrial Science and Research, has put forward claims inconsistent with fact. Since his statements were given prominence in your columns we would ask for similar treatment in order to protect a large number of bakers (our licensees) from a charge of gross misrepresentation. In commenting on the process evolved by his department Dr McMillan stated', inter alia, that “ there was everything new about adding vitamins, or a natural substance containing them in such a way that palatability and keeping qualities of the bread were not affected.” This, his major inaccuracy, is the one which we now openly challenge. ' For five years our own mills have been producing and supplying to bakers a wheat germ flour for incorporating in bread. For their part the bakers concerned have provided the public with a palatable loaf at a reasonable price, made from our specially processed wheat germ flour retaining the full vitamin content. The Government department referred to by the Minister is fully aware of this. The Minister’s claims to an exclusive monopoly of “ palatability and keeping

qualities ” is equally invalid. Millions of loaves of Provita bread have been sold. As the Minister’s statement stands, the integrity of every baker of Provita bread in this country is impugned. Therefore, we would ask the Minister to refer to his department for verification of these facts. Surely a New Zealand industry which has pioneered the wheat germ process is entitled to a correction in view of the above facts. —I am, etc., J. J. Norris, Manager, Provita Mills. Ltd. Christchurch, Sept. 18.