Different flour products are made from different varieties of flour. However, you have to maintain the quality of each variety of flour. The quality of flour is affected at each step during its formation. Low quality of flour will not only affect consumers but also affect the reputation of the mill.
So, every mill owner should give proper attention to the maintenance of the quality of flour. They should consider the following factors at each processing step:
Select the Right Raw Material
There are different types of wheat. All of them differ from each other in their nutrient type and percentage. You have to select the variety of wheat that has all the desired nutrients in the desired percentage. When selecting the wheat variety, you should consider the following factors:
- Amount of protein, sugars, and carbohydrates in the wheat.
- Types of wheat, such as hard red spring wheat, soft white wheat, and durum wheat.
- The color of wheat is either red or white.
Some varieties are good for making bread, and some for making pastries.
Condition and Grind Properly
In the mills, wheat is passed through conditioning. In this process, water is added to the stored wheat. This will make wheat grains soft for the grinding. At the same time, the formation of mold is prevented by maintaining a proper temperature. During conditioning, you can maintain quality in the following ways:
- Pass the wheat grains from the pre-cleaning process. This will separate the dust particles, other cereals, stones, straws, etc.
- Fungi and insects can be produced in the stored wheat. To prevent this, you have to aerate it properly.
The quality of the wheat flour also depends upon the grinding process. You have to adjust the grinder setting to get the desired size of flour particles. In this stage, you have to make sure the starch structure is not distorted.
Blend in the Right Proportions
After grinding, you have to separate the bran to get the pure flour. Now, this flour will be blended with different constituents. The purpose of blending is not to make profits by increasing the quantity. However, through this blending process, you will get different types of wheat that can be used for different purposes.
Mill owners blend pure flour with other constituents to make their flour unique and cost-effective.
Test the Quality
This is the most important step in controlling the quality of wheat. In this flour quality testing, the flour is passed through different processes, such as the moisture test, ash content test, gluten strength test, mixing test, sedimentation test, etc. However, to get a desirable quality of wheat, you have to customize these tests according to the type of wheat flour you want.
At the same time, you have a physical inspection of the wheat flour. In this physical inspection, you will test the following things:
- Color of the wheat flour
- Texture and softness of flour
- Absorption ability of the flour
Conclusion
Mills should always check the quality of the flour before sending it to the market. The quantity of flour constituents should match the quantities mentioned on the flour packets.
