Milling is a man’s world. Flour makes you fat, it never goes bad and it always has to be sieved. Can’t be true, can it? We look at five of the most enduring myths about flour and flour production.
1. “Flour never goes bad”
Yes and no. Even though it’s a dry ingredient with a relatively long shelf life, the type of flour makes a big difference in how long it stays fresh. Flours with a higher degree of fineness – such as type 1050 wheat flour or type 1370 rye flour – or a higher fat content, like wholemeal flour, can spoil after a while. If possible, these types of flour should be used within three to six months.
By the way: if kept under the right conditions, pure wheat and spelt grains can be stored for up to 20 years with no adverse effect on their ability to germinate.
Did you know…?
GoodMills’ largest mill is in Krefeld, west of Düsseldorf. With a capacity of 427,000 tonnes, it supplies enough wheat and rye flour for around five million people. Cereals were ground on this site as long as 2,000 years ago – as a millstone dating back to 20 AD, which was found during the construction of the current mill, goes to show.
2. “The type of flour isn’t so important”
False. The flour type has a significant influence on how delicately baked goods turn out. The type number shows the mineral content of the flour. If more outer layers of the grain are ground, the degree of fineness is higher, meaning that the type number is higher, too. Flours with lower type numbers (type 405/550 wheat and type 630 spelt) are more suitable for bread rolls, biscuits and fine cakes, while wholemeal and rye flour are ideal for hearty, filling bread as well as small pastries.
By the way: wholemeal flour is the only type that isn’t given a number because each grain is fully ground, so the flour retains all of the minerals.
Did you know…?
It doesn’t get more regional than this
Our flours are among the most local products on the market, because we source almost all of our grain from the regions surrounding each of our 24 mills. In Germany, for example, about 82% of the wheat and rye processed by our mills is supplied by regional farmers.
3. “Flour should always be sieved”
False. This myth has its roots in an era when flour often contained impurities because it wasn’t stored properly. Back then, it made sense to purify flour before using it. But nowadays this is no longer necessary, thanks to high-tech milling: the flour is sieved several times during the grinding process and then stored under ideal conditions. Choosing the right raising agent plays a much bigger part in determining whether dough or pastry turns out nice and fluffy.
Did you know…?
EU leads the way
With output of around 135 million tonnes a year, the EU is the world’s largest wheat producer. France produces the largest share of the total, with around 30 million tonnes, followed by Germany with 22 million tonnes and Poland with approximately 12 million tonnes (source: Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture [LfL], Agrarmärkte 2020).
4. “Flour makes you fat”
Yes and no. It’s true that highly processed wheat flour rapidly reduces insulin levels, which makes us feel hungry again more quickly. In statistical terms, though, people who consume lots of wheat flour have a less healthy diet on the whole. So pointing the finger at a single foodstuff misses the point – in terms of diets, it’s better to look at the big picture.
5. “Milling is a man’s world”
False. “For some time now, milling hasn’t been as set in its ways as you might think,” says Birgit Stöber, Executive Director, Finance at the GoodMills Group. Digitalisation has made the job more varied than ever. Physical labour is taking more of a back seat, while digital expertise, technical skills and analytical thinking are gaining in importance. “Especially when it comes to sustainability, AI and data-driven optimisation are opening up lots of promising opportunities,” Stöber explains. The mix of manual work and technological know-how is also what Lisa Hierzer-Bacher – a miller at Farina mill in Raaba, Austria – finds so fascinating. Her advice for young women: “Take every opportunity you can to build up a better understanding of the processes in the mill, in the grain or flour silos, or in the lab, and expand your knowledge. Trust in your own abilities, and this will open up lots of different career paths in the industry.”
Did you know…?
World Flour Day
On 20 March we’ll be celebrating not only our most important staple food, but also the people who produce it. No millers means no flour – and that means no bread either. Every day, GoodMills’ 1,500-plus employees make sure that our grain products reach our customers.