Cereal Flakes

 

Many would be surprised to hear that the cereal flakes that come in packets began as a patented invention. It was discovered by a physician of the name John Harvey Kellogg, assisted by his brother Will Keith. They belonged to Battle Creek, Michigan, USA.

Dr Kellogg ran a sanatorium in Battle Creek, where he lodged his patients to administer health care. The patients had to follow a strict regime the doctor prescribed such as walking or exercising in fresh air, sunbathing, keeping themselves away from alcoholic drinks or other stimulants such as coffee and tea. They also had to stick to the vegetarian diet of the hospital. For most of the doctor’s patients, the regime was tolerable except for the diet part.
Used to spicy meat dishes from infancy, they simply couldn’t take to a vegetarian menu. That his patients had little appetite for what he gave them became the good doctor’s food for thought. The Kellog brothers, turning the kitchen into a lab, began experimenting with various mixes and recipes to arrive at a tasty preparation.
After a busy day at the hospital, they spent what free time they had in the evening mixing, roasting, grinding, mashing, boiling, cooking etc. They tried innumerable recipes for several days and what they always got was a sticky mass more like an adhesive than a meal. As it so often happens, a chance incident helped them. One evening while they were boiling a preparation, they had to leave the kitchen for attending an urgent business. They left after lowering the flame and by the time they returned the over-boiled stuff had cooled down and become mouldy. Fortunately they didn’t succumb to the initial reaction of throwing it out. Instead, using rollers they flattened it. The result was amazing. The grain had become flakes so even in size as if they were conducting a scientific experiment. They toasted them on the oven and got tasty flakes. They had found what they were searching for and with more trials they arrived at a formula for making perfect flakes. They took a patent for the cereal flakes. Dr. Kellogg wasn’t interested in business. So Will Keith bought his brother’s share of the invention and started the processing and sale of the flakes. He became very rich and it grew to a popular breakfast item all over the United States.