A modern flourmill can mill large quantities of grain each day in a multistoried building with hundreds of pieces of machinery. The flour produced is the basic ingredient in many food products. Kinds of Flour Wheat flour is consumed in larger quantities worldwide than any other cereal flour. This is because of its extensive availability. Wheat can be grown under widely varying climatic conditions.
Wheat contains a protein called gluten.
When wheat flour is mixed with water, the gluten forms an elastic dough. When the dough is proofed and baked in a hot oven, it expands to several times its original volume. Flours made from soft wheat containing less than 12 percent of gluten protein are used to make tender products such as cakes and crackers. Flours made from hard wheat containing more than12 percent protein are used for bread and roll production. Rye flour contains a small amount of gluten protein and may be used by itself to produce dark rye breads, but a sourdough is needed to develop this gluten.