What’s so wrong with low protein milling wheat?

DrWazzock

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
Wouldn’t lower protein wheat be better for the gluten intolerant?
I once baked a loaf from feed wheat in the barn and although it was more solid it was perfectly edible. I think the millers have got too fussy. Everybody cracks on about reducing nitrate usage etc so why can’t they accept lower protein wheat instead of that which needs loads of N?
They used to mill local wheat here in the water mill and bake the bresd there. Nobody gave one about the protein level or hsgberg, They tipped the baking tins out onto the bakery floor and picked the loaves up. Job done. Nobody complained. What changed?
 

Hedger

Member
Wouldn’t lower protein wheat be better for the gluten intolerant?
I once baked a loaf from feed wheat in the barn and although it was more solid it was perfectly edible. I think the millers have got too fussy. Everybody cracks on about reducing nitrate usage etc so why can’t they accept lower protein wheat instead of that which needs loads of N?
They used to mill local wheat here in the water mill and bake the bresd there. Nobody gave one about the protein level or hsgberg, They tipped the baking tins out onto the bakery floor and picked the loaves up. Job done. Nobody complained. What changed?

It's the general public that have become more fussy/demanding.
 

Hindsight

Member
Location
Lincolnshire
It really does make you think about the “corporate” model. They have got us all where they want us.

Oh dear Dr W you are into that sad conspiracy mood this morning. Chin up. In other threads some poster call Delilah is always on about localising food systems. You raise the subject of low protein wheat being used in bread - as a favour to farmers in UK who cannot achieve high protein wheat for UK mass produced bread. I gather from this thread low protein wheat is fine for 'artisan' bread, whatever that might mean. So the solution to your comment is for farmers to assist in the development of market for 'artisan' bread. Cannot leave it to the 'market' as that may or may not be that bothered about the development of artisan bread as what is the point unless a higher profit margin. And there maybe you have the point - develop a higher margin market for artisan bread that needs low protein wheat. Afraid I tend to pick a standard UK loaf of the shelf. So you need to convert my habits.
 

David.

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
J11 M40
Bread is funny stuff, my wife makes bread all the time, and even the remnants of the same 16kg bag of flour behave differently to when first opened.
Industrial process baking needs consistency.
Manufactured bread doesn't have to be crap though, the Aldi sliced bread in the paper packs is actually quite good, not like the Fine Lady, Sunblest, etc upright water loaves at all.
And Fine Lady is Heygates, who should know better; but Tesco etc want the cheapest crap commodity loaf they can make. Presumably because the modern shopper demands it.
 
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jimmer

Member
Location
East Devon
Mate used to work at either hovis or kingsmill, can't remember which
Anyway he told me they had a breakthrough at work and now had something like a 13 day shelf life on bread
Hmmmmmm something tells me wheat Isn't the most important ingredient
 

Hindsight

Member
Location
Lincolnshire
Bread is funny stuff, my wife makes bread all the time, and even the remnants of the same 16kg bag of flour behave differently to when first opened.
Industrial process baking needs consistency.
Manufactured bread doesn't have to be crap though, the Aldi sliced bread in the paper packs is actually quite good, not like the Fine Lady, Sunblest, etc erect water loaves at all.
And Fine Lady is Heygates, who should know better; but Tesco etc want the cheapest crap commodity loaf they can make. Presumably because the modern shopper demands it.

I disagree TESCO want cheapest crap commodity. Retailing is more complext than that to maximise revenue and margin per square metre flor space and shelf space. Yes, the category manager will require a cheap basic item but emphasis will be on higher margin product. Take a look next time at the bread shelf - there will be just a few bog standard white loaves at 65pence. Most bread will be seeded, artisan branded loaves up awards of £1.50 a a loaf. I quite like the Aldi bread.
 

PSQ

Member
Arable Farmer
Would anybody notice the difference? Mine failed at 11.48%. But would you notice it under your beans on toast????

FYI, Extase (gp2) at 10% protein "could potentially be worth a fiver premium for hard biscuit". Normally it's about £2.

I'd imagine that at 11.48% it would still find it's way into a grist at a premium.
 

DrWazzock

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
Same all over. Expectations of standardised industrial perfect uniformity rather than making the best of what’s actually available. We seem to have lost that art. It must waste millions of gallons of fuel.
We had similar when we asked ration advice for the cattle. Apparently they needed perfect this and that. Well why not start with what we have actually got and make use of that? So they ended up on old hay and rolled barley. Still got fat. Just a bit slower. No big deal.
 

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