Canadian flour and the breads we consume

Millers and bakers who use flour milled from Canadian wheat rely on its quality.

Quality means consistent dough strength, good texture and volume, and other characteristics that can be tested and measured. At the CGC, we do research in milling and baking labs to ensure that Canadian wheat maintains its reputation for high quality and consistency.

The bread you make at home and the bread you buy in the store both use flour milled from high quality Canadian wheat. In Canada, white flour includes additives required by law, as well as additives that enhance the performance of the dough and bread.

Commercial bakeries may also include other additives that serve various purposes, from lengthening shelf life to reducing mixing time.

But the quality of Canadian milling wheat stands on its own. Here's the art and science of bread making, at home and on a commercial scale.

Flour: the number 1 ingredient

White flour milled from Canadian wheat will contain approximately the following ratios:

73.0% carbohydrates which are composed of:
70.5% starch
02.4% soluble sugar
0.1% cellulose

13.0% protein which is composed of:
12% gluten composed of glutenins and gliadins
1% water soluble albumin

14.0% moisture which is composed of:
12.9% water
1.0% fats
0.1% minerals

Note: The exact percentages will vary depending on the intended use, for example a special bread flour will have a higher protein content than an all-purpose flour.

Additives added by the miller to produce enriched white flour are:

By law

Health Canada. Food and Drug Regulations, Part B, Foods, Division 13, Grain and Bakery Products. B.13.001. Flour, White Flour, Enriched Flour or Enriched White Flour

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/food-aliment/friia-raaii/food_drugs-
aliments_drogues/act-loi/pdf/e_b-text-1.pdf

Shall contain

Niacin or niacinamide: vitamin B3, which helps the body utilize carbohydrates, fats and minerals providing energy to the body.

Thiamine: a B1 vitamin functions in cooperation with the other B complex vitamins to convert glucose to energy.

Riboflavin: vitamin B2 helps the body metabolize carbohydrates, starches and sugars.

Folic Acid: a B vitamin used by the body to synthesize DNA/RNA like nucleic acids that build new red cells and aids in preventing two birth defects: spina bifida and anencephaly.

Iron: the bulk of iron in the body is in the red blood cells' hemoglobin.

May contain

Amylase: assists in the breakdown of starches to sugars, amylase decomposes flour starch into dextrins, malt sugar and dextrose.

Ascorbic Acid: vitamin C, a fast acting dough oxidant which improves the dough properties and therefore the quality of the product such as improved loaf volume and a finer crumb structure.

Benzoyl Peroxide: used as an additive to bleach flour, it quickly breaks down into benzoic acid, which is harmless.

More information:

Bread at the CGC