GRAIN
Milling Wheat
Wheat is the most widely cultivated cereal crop in the world,. Wheat has come to be a firm favorite grain because of the diversity it provides in culinary applications.
Wheat Types
Many different types of wheat grain exist, with two main types namely milling wheat (Triticum aestivum vulgare) and durum wheat (Triticum turgidum durum). The durum variety is used in the manufacture of pasta while the other type is used to produce most other wheat-based foods. Bread wheat is typically white and does not have the red color, which typifies most bread wheat grown in the northern hemisphere.
Wheat flour is a powder made from the grinding of wheat used for human consumption. Wheat varieties are called "soft" or "weak" if gluten content is low, and are called "hard" or "strong" if they have high gluten content. Hard flour, or bread flour, is high in gluten, with 12% to 14% gluten content, and its dough has elastic toughness that holds its shape well once baked. Soft flour is comparatively low in gluten and thus results in a loaf with a finer, crumbly texture.[1] Soft flour is usually divided into cake flour, which is the lowest in gluten, and pastry flour, which has slightly more gluten than cake flour.
Feed wheat is an excellent energy source for cattle, generally superior to barley and approaching that of corn grain. When competitively priced, feed wheat is a good buy and with proper management should result in better feed conversions, particularly as a replacement for barley.
Barley is a cereal grain that was originally native to Asia. Barley was very important in ancient times and was one of the first grains to be widely cultivated. However, when leavened bread became popular, the consumption of barley was replaced by wheat and rye. Having a lower gluten content (which provides the framework for dough to rise), the application of barley in the production of bread is limited. As such, fewer people today in developed countries eat barley. Although, the discovery that barley is high in beta-glucan has given rise to its use in health-promoting food products, especially foods tailored to cardiovascular health.
A large proportion of the world’s barley supply is used to make beer. Barley does however remain a staple food for many people in less developed countries such as those in North Africa and in areas where wheat is difficult to grow, such as Tibet.
Corn (Yellow and White) also known as maize, is one of the sweetest tasting grains. In its immature form it is the familiar yellow corn on the cob. When it matures and dries out it is used like other grains to make grain foods like breakfast cereal and tortillas.
Corn production with the USA which is responsible for about 43% of total world production. It is one of the world’s most important crops because it is used widely in food manufacture.
Corn is unique in that it cannot reproduce itself without the aid of humans – its seeds cannot be released because they are tightly wrapped around the ear. Wild corn has never been found and domesticated corn was probably developed through hybridisation.
White Maize is flour (or Corn Meal as is referred to) which is quite similar to corn flour, is a cereal grain. It was first used by people in Mexico, dating back around 10,000 years approximately. It is very fine and white in colour. The major and most noticeable difference between corn meal flour (yellow maize) and white maize flour is the colour – the former is Yellow and the latter is pure white. Maize is usually used as a replacement to whole wheat flour.
How are White Maize and Yellow Maize different?
Due to each maize grain belonging from a diverse individual (the seed of a new plant) with a unique mix of genes inherited from its parents. The difference between yellow and white maize grains is due to the color of the nutritive tissue which covers up the embryo in the seed, called the endosperm.