[Sca-cooks] Query about verjus...urgent!!

[James Prescott]

I spent some time googling, and found one interesting item.

http://thehealthylivingsite.com/2010/12/01/the-truth-behind-those-health-related-old-wives-tales/

"Eating The Bread's Crust Is Good For You - TRUE

According to a study conducted by the American Chemical Society, it 
turns out that the crust of bread has 8 times more of a 
cancer-fighting antioxidant called pronyl-lysine than the rest of the 
bread.  And, if you want to make it even healthier yet, toast your 
bread.  This potent antioxidant pronyl-lysine if formed in the baking 
process, so toasting your bread will cause more of it to form."

See also the more academic: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19417676


I have (so far) failed to find mention of any other substance (except 
melanoidins)
that would be especially abundant in bread crusts.

I have (so far) found nothing about whether this pronyl-lysine would have any
beneficial effect on green sorrel verjuice, or indeed any other juice.

I have found a brief mention of lysine binding with sugar, but whether this
would be relevant I do not know.  Pronyl-lysine is altered from normal
lysine, which might affect any such binding.

The pronyl-lysine is mentioned as being an antioxidant.  It might (no mention
found, so this is speculation) prevent the oxidation of juice that can lead to
the juice turning brown (the Maillard reaction).  On the other hand, I wonder
whether the brown pigments in the crust might leach into the verjuice and
turn it brown even faster.




Separate interesting quotation:

http://www.scienceclarified.com/Ex-Ga/Food-Preservation.html

"Ancient Egyptians used mustard seeds to keep fruit juice from spoiling."



Separate interesting quotation:

http://scorpius.spaceports.com/~goodwine/winerecipe.htm

"Yeast Nutrients

Like other plants, yeast requires proper nutrients. Some recipes call 
for a slice of whole wheat bread. This is to provide the necessary 
nutrients (B vitamins). Use 1 teaspoon nutrients per gallon (or one 
slice of whole wheat toast)."


Thorvald