World Grain - May 2008 - 68

MILLINGOPERATIONS

Micro-ingredient feeders in a batch-blending system. Photo courtesy of Rospen Industries.

be dedicated to the micro-ingredients,
down to only a few grams individually
up to about 0.5% percent of the batch.
The cost of fortifying flour varies
but is claimed to be as low as 0.5% of
the cost of the processed flour. For example, a premix of iron and folic acid
costs around 25¢ per tonne of wheat being milled. The cost of suitable dosing
equipment is typically between $1,000
and $5,000. This must be weighed
against the productivity losses due to
iron deficiency. In South Asia alone,
that cost is estimated at about $5 billion
annually.
SUPPLEMENTS AND IMPROVERS
Nutritional supplements taken in pill

or capsule form are not to be confused
with fortification. They are generally
supplied in a much higher concentration and may even be harmful unless
taken under medical supervision. Generally, these additional vitamins and
minerals are better consumed as components of a balanced diet, unless the
individual concerned is suffering from
a specific diagnosed deficiency.
Many improvers are commonly used as
process aids for the baking or cooking that
follows. However, health concerns have
led to the phasing out of some of these,
even though they may have no proven deleterious effect on the consumer.
Potassium bromate, once an almost
universally used bakery improver, al-

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though still permitted in the U.S., has
all but disappeared from use elsewhere.
In many cases, this is due to circumstantially-based allegations that have
proved too costly to challenge.
Similarly, chlorine treatment, although it leaves no residue and is an
effective means to modify the gluten
strength and control Ph levels so that
the processed flour makes cakes with
a light, friable texture, has now been
discontinued in many countries. Heat
treatment processes have been developed to replicate much of the effect of
chlorine, and these have gained wide
acceptance since they are deemed intrinsically safe.
As more trace minerals and other nutrients are found to be important to human well-being, there will be a case for
considering additions to the established
list for fortification of wheat flour.
The essential trace mineral, selenium, as a component of selenoproteins,
is now known to be of fundamental importance to human health and its deficiency can result in a number of serious
health effects. Selenium enters the food
chain through plants including wheat.
Wheat from some regions is much richer in selenium due to the higher levels
WG
in the soil in which it is grown.
Bryan McGee, a milling industry consultant,
may be contacted at bryan@bcmcgee.co.uk.
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inquiries to worldgrain@sosland.com. For reprints of
WG articles, e-mail reprints@sosland.com.

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For more information, see Page 82.

May 2008 / World Grain / www.World-Grain.com

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World Grain - May 2008

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