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Pre-shipment wheat testing aims to improve flour consistency for mills

MC Mühlenchemie sends a sample from an incoming wheat lot to Germany, mills it under controlled conditions, then runs multiple flour tests to match target specifications before arrival.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Mining

A pre-shipment analysis service is designed to help flour mills reduce the uncertainty that comes with buying wheat contracts weeks or months before delivery, when the final grain characteristics are still unknown. World Grain says millers face variability from harvest to harvest, including differences in protein content, gluten quality, falling number, enzyme activity, and moisture levels. The challenge can be larger for import-dependent markets where mills may blend wheat from multiple origins, such as switching between French, Russian, and Australian supplies, leading to different blend behavior on the mill and in bakeries. According to World Grain, inconsistent flour performance can force bakers to constantly adjust recipes, increase production waste, and harm a mill's reputation for reliable supply. Traditional standardization approaches typically address quality after the wheat has already arrived, but MC Mühlenchemie focuses on evaluating wheat before it reaches the mill. World Grain reports that the service works by sending a sample of the purchased lot to MC Mühlenchemie's headquarters in Ahrensburg, Germany ahead of the shipment. There, the sample is milled in a pilot mill under controlled conditions and then tested using a range of methods, including Farinograph, Extensograph, Alveograph, Mixolab, falling number, protein, and gluten content, with results assessed against the mill's target flour grade specifications.

Latest closeWheat $674.25 ▼0.5%

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