"Milling in laboratories is more than just the simple transformation of grain into flour." By saying that, we wish to emphasize the fact that there is a great wealth of information to use during this operation. Moreover, one must use the right equipment.
The current trend in gluten-free products has highlighted one thing: many consumers do not have a clear idea of what gluten is. We sometimes forget that wheat gluten is, in particular, that which permits the production of crusty or crunchy, leavened products such as breads, brioches, and croissants-not so bad after all.
There are many ways to measure the quality of flour. We can analyze its composition (protein, humidity, etc.), measure a specific component (gluten, starch, etc.) or even, and in order to more closely test the conditions of use, analyze the dough.
The purpose of a quality control laboratory is to...control quality. What does it mean? This question is important because quality control often translates to "specifications."
There are a number of standardization organizations, whether international (ISO, CEN, AACC, ICC, etc.) or national (Afnor, GOST, IRAM, GT, etc.), but what actually are standards? What are they used for?
Properly preparing wheat for milling is as important in the plant as it is in the laboratory. Preparing wheat for milling involves two main actions: cleaning the grain and tempering the grain before milling.
How does a mill work today? Remember that these are real factories which are very precise and inevitably quite different from one another. Nevertheless, they must all follow the main principles which we'll present here...
