More and more often, whilst surfing the net, one comes across posts and conversations about choosing the best flour. Given that there are no “better” or “worse” flours per say, and that the quality of the flour can only be judged in relation to the product to be made, we believe that the many debates (and a lot of the confusion) about choosing flour derive from the fact that there is not only one “type” and, moreover, there is not even a single classification method.
It should also be said that this situation is typical of the Italian market but in a highly positive sense. It reflects the high degree of specialization achieved by our food sector and the professionalism of the Italian millers who, more than others, are able to respond to specific customer needs. So, to understand which flour to choose for each product, it is first of all necessary to clarify the criteria used to classify flour.
The first factor in classification: “Types” of flour
The first factor in the classification of flours is Italian law, according to which they are classified into “types”. This division is based on their ash content, that is to say the mineral salts that remain unchanged after the carbonization of a sample of the product at a temperature exceeding 600°C. Mineral salts are mainly contained in the bran fractions, therefore wholemeal flours, which contain all, or at least a large part of the bran, are characterized by the highest ash values.
“00” type flour, on the other hand, obtained by selecting the innermost components of the grain, (let’s not call them “refined” flours, it is inappropriate, click here to understand why) have the lowest ash values in the range.
This classification is summarized in the chart below. It should be specified that the distinctions between the various “types” have nothing to do with their quality, their rheological values (W, P / L, stability …) or the uses to which said flours are put.
Choosing flour based on its “Type”
According to current legislation, the difference between a “0” and a “00” flour is minimal, so minimal in fact that even the most expert eye can hardly distinguish them apart.
In general, when going from type “00” flour to type “2” flour, the colour becomes darker, it contains more flecks and the protein content increases but the ratio between the percentage of gluten and the percentage of total proteins decreases (with the same gluten content, dark flours are richer in protein than light flours).
It should also be said that in terms of nutritional value, the differences between a type “00” flour and a type “2” flour are minimal.
It should be clarified that the bran fractions in wholemeal flours vary in coarseness, some reaching a grain size of more than 1.5 mm. For this reason, a minimum limit is put on the ash content to guarantee a balanced presence of fibres and a maximum limit, in many cases, requires the miller to eliminate a part of the bran, if the finished product is to be marketed as flour.
So, based on this first classification factor
- “00” type flours, sometimes with an ash content of even less than 0.4%, are preferred for the production of fresh egg pasta, puff pastry and piadina, pâtisserie and pizzas;
- type “0” and type “1” flours are ideal for the production of bread, focaccia and bread substitutes;
- type “2” flours can be used successfully in the baking of biscuits, brioches, various breads and other baked products in which a brown colour is preferred;
- wholemeal flours can be used in all recipes in which the presence of fibre is to be emphasized, bearing in mind that, as is better described below, they are apt to rise differently from other types of flour (click here for a comparison between type “00” and wholemeal flour).
The second factor in classification: what the flour is used for
The second factor in classification is the intended use of the flour, that is to say the products that are to be made with it. In this regard, the rheological values of the flour, a set of data defined by laboratory analysis, can be considered.
Choosing flour based on rheological values
Historically, one of the values held in great regard is the W value which is determined by Chopin’s alveograph and measured in Joules. Biscuit flour is characterized by the lowest W values (sometimes even lower than 100), while flour destined for the production of highly leavened products is characterized by higher W values (as much as 400 and over). These values are summarized in the following chart.
Another value that characterizes flours even more effectively is stability, determined by the Brabender farinograph and measured in minutes. Biscuit flours are characterized by low stability values (as low as 2 minutes) while flours destined for the production of highly leavened products are characterized by high stability values (as much as 20 minutes and over).
Stability and the W value are only two of the many ways of classifying the suitability of a flour for a specific use, but each can be enough to give a first rough idea of the most suitable product choice.
As both values are linked to the percentage of dry gluten naturally present in each flour, it is possible to summarize a set of guidelines for choosing a certain flour for a certain use in the following chart.
In this case too it is necessary to make a clarification regarding wholemeal flours. Current laboratory analysis can only be reliably applied to flours that contain no bran fractions. Therefore for a wholemeal flour the analytical data refers to a sieved sample of the same, free of the bran fractions which would make it impossible to carry out the tests reliably. When choosing wholemeal flours, this technical peculiarity must be taken into account while maintaining a certain safety margin by using flours with a higher protein content.
The third factor in classification: the milling process
The third and final factor in the classification of flour is based on the production technology used to mill the grain. As is well known, grain can be ground either by stone or by cylinder.
Choosing a flour according to the milling process
Both technologies are extremely well proven, since even the most modern of cylinder grinding techniques dates back more than 150 years. Each has its own peculiarities and strengths.
For example, cylinder grinding allows for a longer shelf-life than stone grinding and permits the production of a wide range of flours, even those characterized by a very low ash content. With stone grinding it is only possible to produce type “1”, type “2” and wholemeal flours, and it does not allow for the precise control of grain size and humidity. These apparently negative peculiarities can be turned into strengths should the producer wish to obtain products with a rustic image.
Ultimately, even by taking this into consideration, it cannot be said that one production technology is better than the other. This is also true from a nutritional point of view, given that flours of the same “type” obtained by grinding the same grain, (limiting the comparison to type “1”, type “2” and wholemeal flours) have very similar nutritional values no matter which production technology is used. For example, starting from the same grain, a cylinder ground type “2” flour will have approximately the same proteins, carbohydrates and fats as a stone ground type “2” flour.
Those who prefer to use stoneground flour should bear in mind that this ancient technique is extremely suitable for the production of dark flours, type “2” flours and wholemeal flours.
Very interesting too is the product obtained by stone-grinding previously cleaned grain without discarding any of the bran fraction. The result of this grinding cannot be defined as flour, because its ash content almost always exceeds 1.70%, but it still lends itself to being used in blends for rustic and fibre-rich products.
On the other hand, stone grinding is not the best way of processing strong grains, used to produce flours rich in gluten, and the flours produced by this method are not as stable as those that can be obtained with a cylinder mill.
How to choose a flour with a client
From this introductory presentation on the possible classifications of flours, it is clear that choosing the best flour for a particular product can be complex. For this reason, we have decided to make a wealth of knowledge available to our customers. This ranges from information about stone and cylinder grinding technology, through laboratory analysis of grains and flours, to bread-making skills and in the preparation of secondary processing products.
Coaching a client in his choice of flour starts with an analysis of his needs. A customer who finds himself having to develop a new product must establish a standard for future supplies. After a discussion about production technology, the timeline and processing methods that the customer intends to adopt, we propose the flour that we consider most suitable for the task.
If, for example, a customer needs to produce a new type of brioche, we might suggest a “00” type flour for a more conventional product, a type “2” flour if the goal is to have a more rustic-looking product, or a wholemeal flour if a higher percentage of fibre is desired in the finished product.
Should the customer opt for a type “2” flour, we might recommend trying a Type “2” Forte Stone-ground first. Or, if the customer is particularly selective about the provenance of the grain, we could offer him the same flour from the Mulino Padano “Scelte di Campo” supply chain which is certified according to ISO 22005 standards.
Having evaluated the various possibilities, we enable the customer to carry out small pilot tests, by sending him samples of the various items of interest.
The customer’s tests, along with the production tests carried out in our own baking laboratory, then allow us to better calibrate the flour. In fact, in the development of a new product, our goal is to recommend a flour that does not require the client to make technological adaptations to their production processes or production lines. Even when we offer customers a dark flour, such as a type “2”, or a wholemeal flour, we make sure that these have the same workability as the more commonly used “0” and “00” flours. For this reason, we don’t just analyse the flours in our laboratory, but also conduct in-depth baking tests to verify their actual reactions.
Once the desired result is obtained, an internal report is drawn up and shared with the client. The report specifies all the characteristics of the flour in terms of its type (ash content), gluten percentage, rheological values (W, Stability etc.), particle size and the production technology used in its grinding.
It is then our primary task to keep the quality of the supplies constant and unaltered, thus allowing our customers to get the best out of their production.
The mill, a valuable consultant in the development of new products
Those who wish to develop a new product are very often faced with the dilemma of which flour to use. This dilemma is more than legitimate, given that there are many types of soft wheat flour but no single criterion for classifying them.
As we have said soft wheat flours can be classified in the following ways:
- based on their “Type” (“00”, “0”, “1”, “2” or wholemeal) as required under Italian law
- based on the use it is intended for (biscuit flours, bread flours, croissant flours etc.)
- based on the grinding technology used (cylinder or stone)
Faced with all these possibilities, it is through constant communication with the mill that the best choice of flour can be made every time. Only the mill, that conducts accurate tests in its internal laboratories, can provide adequate technical support.
Interesting ideas for product development often arise from this preliminary dialogue.
