How to ensure that wheat will turn out as quality flour
Different species of wheat will produce different qualities of flour. Wheat thrives in cold weather and the modern varieties of wheat are usually classified as winter wheat and spring wheat. Approximately ¾ of the wheat grown in the United States is winter wheat. Moisture content is considered because it will determine the length of time that it can be stored. When wheat has high protein quantity, it enhances the quality of bread that is baked. However, farmers consider weight as significantly essential because a higher wheat weight means better returns for their efforts.
The process of turning wheat into flour
Cleaning and conditioning – different type of equipment like powerful magnets and metal detectors are used on wheat to segregate metal objects, stones, and other grains like barley, oats and small seeds that ,may be present from the harvested wheat. During the process of cleaning, air currents are used to lift off dust and chaff. Wheat is also conditioned with water to soften its outer bran layer and make it easier to remove the floury endosperm during milling in the Flour grinding mill.
Gristing – is the process where the cleaned and conditioned wheat is mixed with other types of wheat to produce different kinds of flour. In some instances, gluten is added to wheat to increase its protein content.
Milling – should follow an art of finely tuning the sequence of breaking, sifting and rolling to achieve the right color and consistency of flour. Different milling techniques are known to produce varied results. In the first stage of milling, the grist is passed through a series of fluted rolls rotating different speeds. The rolls are set so that wheat will not be crushed but sheared open so that the white inner portion can be separated from the outer skins. In the second stage, a complex arrangement of sieves will separate the fragments of wheat grain with the white endosperm particles channeled into a series of smooth reduction rolls for the final milling into white flour.
Packing – White flour is packaged and sent to bakeries to be made into breads, cookies, cakes and other bakery products. Wheat germ and bran are sold as health foods with the remaining flour blended with wheat feed for livestock food.
Modern Flour grinding mill is often called merchant’s mill that are privately owned although they usually accept money from other farmers for grinding their wheat. Usually there is a tradeoff for wheat grains. Some corporations also buy grain that has not been milled so that they can manufacture the flour that has been produced.