This document discusses the properties of wheat flour that are important for baking. It covers the different types of flour based on protein content and milling process. The grading of flour depends on how much of the wheat kernel is extracted during milling. Flour can be treated or enriched with chemicals to improve qualities. Water absorption and protein content can vary between batches of flour and affect baking outcomes. Tests are used to analyze flour specifications to manage variations.

1. What About My Flour?
Lin Carson, PhD

2. INTRODUCTION
When baking with wheat flour, it is important to
know its properties before mixing.
What is its protein content? How much water
will it absorb? What is its mixing tolerance?
Here’s quick intro to the science of flour.
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3. Types of Flour
✓ Soft red winter
✓ Soft white
✓ Hard red winter
✓ Hard white
✓ Hard red spring
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4. Types of Milling3
07
Stone Mill: grain is ground
between two stones. Flour is
nutritious and retains full aroma
in bread.
How flour is milled impacts final taste, texture and quality of the final product.
Hammer Mill: uses high speed
rotors, with impact forces breaking
up particles (similar to pin milling).
It is favored for its high productivity
and flexibility.
Pin Mill: two discs or plates which are placed
together on a common spindle designed to
rotate at high speed (up to 10,000 rpm) using
a powerful electric motor.
Roller Mill: process used to
separate the grain kernels—like
the bran, aleurone layers, germ
and endosperm.

5. Flour Grade4
• Whole wheat flour (100% extraction)
• Straight grade flour (70-75% extraction)
• Long patent: (65-70% overall extraction)
• Short patent (50-60% overall extraction)
The grade of a flour is determined by how much
of the original kernel is extracted from the flour
during the milling process.

6. Flour Treatment5
• Enriching
• Bleaching
• Maturing
• Malting
Chemicals or additives are used to enhance
natural aging processes, and/or to improve flour
quality. Normally treatment methods include:

7. Flour Composition6
• Starch: 65%
- Damaged starch: 10% in hard wheats
- Amylose: 23%
- Amylopectin: 73%
• Gluten: 10-12%
• Pentosans: 2-3%
• Water-soluble proteins: 2-3%
• Lipids: 2.5%
• Ash: 0.5%

8. Baking with Flour7
When mixing flour into a dough, it’s crucial to know how the
different parts or kind of flour will influence your final quality.
Also keep in mind,
batches of flour can make
a difference too.

9. Water Absorption8
High Water Absorption
Possible reasons may be damaged
starch, which increases mixing time
and reduces volume or high protein
quality and quantity.
Low Moisture Absorption
Lower moisture levels in the batch of
flour may be due to inadequate
tempering. This batch flour may have
higher ash and may need more water.
Measure water absorption with the farinograph, mixograph and mixolab

10. Protein Content9
High Protein Level
The high protein flour batch may
have higher protein quality or
quantity. If ash is also high, the
protein may have also come from
bran particles.
Low Protein Level
Flours with less protein will have less
gluten, thus less strength and volume.
It will have a softer texture and open
crumb.
Combustion nitrogen analysis is used to analyze protein content in flour.
Around 0.15-0.20 grams of sample is burned at 952 o
C for 3 minutes.

11. Other Factors10
• Percent of damaged starch
• Flour enzyme (amylase)
• Oxidation requirements
• Milling characteristics (particle size)
• Environmental & genetics

12. How to Manage Flour Variations11
Flour modifiers
Oxidizing agents: Strengthen dough
Reducing agents: Weaken dough
Emulsifiers: increase extensibility or
elasticity
A tool box of ingredients to compensate for variations:
Enzymes
Extensibility: Amylase,
protease, xylanase and lipase
Elasticity: Glucose oxidase,
lipoxygenase, transglutaminase
and laccase

13. Flour Specifications12
• Moisture
• Protein
• Ash
• Falling number
• Rheological parameters (e.g. Farinograph)
- Water absorption
- Peak time
- Stability
- Mixing tolerance index
• Solvent Retention Capacity (SRC)
• Particle size (whole wheat flour)
• pH (cake flour)
When analyzing flour, look at these parameters:

14. Flour Analysis Methods
✓ Falling number
✓ Farinograph
✓ GlutoPeak
✓ Amylograph
✓ Glutomatic
✓ Extensigraph
✓ Alveograph
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15. Find all your baking answers at
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