Check out this brief explanation of the wheat milling process.

The wheat milling process is made up of several stages that are divided into subprocesses. To facilitate understanding, we work with four main processes, which are: Reception and Storage of Grain, Cleaning and Preparation of Wheat for Milling, Milling of Wheat and Production of Flour, and Packaging, Storage and Dispatch of Finished Products.

GRAIN RECEPTION AND STORAGE

The wheat goes through a pre-cleaning process when it arrives at the mill to remove major impurities. Afterwards, it is forwarded to storage silos using wheat type and quality criteria.

WHEAT CLEANING AND PREPARATION FOR GRINDING

After defining the wheat and the quality of each one, the wheat is pulled from the silos and undergoes a rigorous cleaning process to eliminate the most varied impurities, here machines and equipment are used such as: Suction Channel, tubular magnet, Gravitational Separator It is Pre-Cleaning Vibrant Separator.

After cleaning, the wheat undergoes a process called conditioning, which consists of humidifying, using equipment such as automatic water adder It is intensive wetter the grain and keep it for a period of rest (silos) to then be forwarded to the milling itself.

WHEAT MILLING AND FLOUR PRODUCTION

The purpose of milling is to separate the endosperm of the wheat in its purest form, which will then be milled and converted into flour uncontaminated with germ or bran. Using the combination of equipment below.

The milling processes are basically:

• Breaking: Break the grain and scrape the endosperm. The recommended equipment is cylinder bank.
• Separation: The endosperm is separated from the wheat kernels. Plansifter
• Purification and Reduction: In purification, the coarse particles are sent to the sassors to extract as much bran as possible. The sorted and purified products, from the purest endosperm to those contaminated by bran, are finally converted into flour.

FILLING, STORAGE AND DISPATCH OF FINISHED PRODUCTS

Once milling is finished, the flours are sent to silos according to the type (flour for baking, biscuits, domestic use, etc.), later they undergo a check (transfer plansifter and turbo sieve). Then, they are bagged (open mouth bag bagging machine or bagging machine for valve bags) and forwarded to the final dispatch (distributors and final consumers).

Milling Summary Wheat

Wheat milling is an industrial process that can be summarized in the following topics:

• Cleaning and selection of wheat: The wheat is cleaned and sorted to remove impurities and damaged grains.
• Wheat Conditioning: the wheat is moistened to facilitate the removal of the bran and germination of the grain.
• Wheat Grinding: The wheat is milled in a set of rollers, which break the grain and separate the endosperm (inner part of the grain) from the bran and germ.
• Separation of bran and germ: The bran and germ are separated from the endosperm by sieving and grading.
• Endosperm reduction: the endosperm is reduced in size through a series of grinding rollers, until it turns into flour.
• Flour classification: Flour is classified according to its protein content so that it can be used in different baked goods.
• Additives and enrichment: Additives, such as flour improvers, and nutrients, such as iron and vitamins, can be added to flour to improve its nutritional and baking quality.
• Packaging and distribution: The flour is packaged in bags and distributed to customers, who will use it to make bread, cakes, cookies and other bakery products.

The Idugel Group designs and produces a variety of machines and equipment for grain processing, get in touch with us and get access to the best technological solutions for your project.

Bonus: Interesting video about how flour was made and what the wheat milling process was like in 1962: