As with people, there are a number of afflictions that wear down our books as they age. Torn and yellowing pages, loose bindings, worn covers, are among them. Then, there are bookworms. Not the people who read them, though they certainly can damage books, but here we're talking about literal ones. These are the critters that eat holes through the pages, leaving them holier than the Bible. But, why do they pick books? Aren't there more desirable forms of vegetation to gorge on?

 

Fortunately, science can answer anything if we give it enough time, and it has now given us an answer to this question. It's all in the glue. A recent study by Rocio Prisby and others, published in the April 4, 2024 issue of the Journal of Proteome Research (citation: J. Proteome Res. 2024, 23, 5, 1649–1665) determined the type of paste used to hold the bindings of old books together. It found that flour-based pastes were used.

 

There are two varieties of wheat-derived pastes used to hold books together. One is flour paste, the other starch paste. The former is made from wheat flour as is, the latter removes most of the glutens, resulting in starch. When the researchers conducted chemical examinations of old books, they found the presence of flour-based paste used to bind them.

 

They determined wheat flour paste possessed 1,942 proteins across 749 groups. Starch paste had only 218 proteins across 58 groups. In other words, starch paste greatly reduced the glutens present. When you think of gluten-free foods, the chances are you don't like the taste as much. The bookworms evidently feel the same. They look for books that taste better.

 

Of course, people with Celiac Disease eat gluten-free foods anyway. They have reactions to gluten that cause intestinal distress, requiring they avoid these foods. In a way, the same can be said for books. Their health is also compromised by the presence of gluten, though in a very different way. It attracts pests.

 

That is not to say gluten lacks any positives when it comes to holding bindings together. It does have adhesive properties. Unfortunately, as with sufferers from Celiac Disease, the negatives outweigh the positives. Loose bindings can be repaired like new, but damage to a book's pages and covers is permanent. You can patch a hole, but it is not quite the same, not original condition. While nothing can be done at this late date to undo such damages to old books, it is a useful lesson for those who rebind old books. Stay away from tasty glue. Bland is better.