USING a soft flour will leave your pasta gloopy, while type 00 flour is a no-no for biscuits.
The traits of wheat and the flour it produces have a big influence on how the product it is being used to make, will turn out.
However, for many wheat traders and growers, knowledge about the different way the grain performs in terms of its end use attributes is sometimes limited.
With this in mind, the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) is running a series of education sessions at its commercial scale Pilot Mill in Sydney, New South Wales, to show the industry how wheat and flour quality can influence the end products it is used to make.
A recent session was attended by senior grain traders, wheat breeders, food manufacturers and flour millers from around Australia.
ADM Australia senior trading manager Darryl Borlase said the course gave him a better handle of just where Australian wheat went and to what uses it was put.
“The course provided me with a better understanding of the types of flour produced and the technical aspects of quality measurement,” Mr Borlase said.
“The course also provided excellent information on end product use and what Australian wheat is being used for in our export markets.”
Course overseer and AEGIC general manager research and technical services Ken Quail said having access to AEGIC’s four-storey flour mill was extremely valuable for attendees, providing the opportunity for “hands on” learning.
“The training also includes practical baking and noodle making sessions, and lectures on wheat varieties, quality testing, and export markets,” Dr Quail said.
He said a working knowledge of wheat and flour quality was going to become ever more critical for those in the Australian grain industry, especially with the increased focus on high value south-east Asian markets.
“Knowledge of how wheat and flour quality affects end products is crucial in order to effectively meet customer needs,” he said.
“This applies to everyone in the wheat industry – especially grain traders, food manufacturers, wheat breeders and flour millers.
