Process for the production of refined whole wheat flour with low coloration
A whitish whole-wheat flour and a process for producing the flour are described wherein the wheat bran is separated into a fine bran and a coarse bran fraction and the course bran is pulverized to a smaller size and mixed into the flour.
1. A method for obtaining a refined whole-wheat flour, which comprises the steps of:
(a) supplying a quantity of wheat grain suitable for milling;
(b) fractionating the wheat grain to obtain endosperm, bran, and germ;
(c) separating and distributing the endosperm, bran, and germ;
(d) milling the endosperm that is obtained in step (c) to obtain a particle size of approximately 150-180 microns;
(e) treating the germ to reduce the reactivity of lipolytic enzymes which act on lipids contained therein;
(f) treating the bran obtained in step (c) by:
(i) separating the stream of bran coming from step (c) in order to produce a fine bran and a coarse bran, and
(ii) milling the coarse bran from step (i) in order to obtain a pulverized bran with a particle diameter of approximately 180 microns;
(g) mixing the endosperm from step (d), the germ from step (e), the fine bran from step (f-i), and the pulverized bran from step (f-ii) in order to obtain a whole-wheat flour that consists of approximately 80.0% endosperm, approximately 17.5% bran, and approximately 2.5% germ and wherein said refined whole-wheat flour has L value on the Hunter scale, Illuminant D65, of 84-86.
2. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the wheat grain that is supplied consists of white wheat.
3. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein mixing the endosperm from step (d), the germ from step (e), the fine bran from step (f-i), and the pulverized bran from step (f-ii) to obtain a whole-wheat flour is performed in an in-line mixer wherein the endosperm, the germ, the fine bran, and the pulverized bran are run through individual high-precision flow meters, whereby these flow meters are operationally connected to a flow controller, before the ingredients are mixed in an in-line mixer.
4. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the fine bran and pulverized bran are combined to form a single stream of bran before reaching the mixing step.