GB2194128A - Cereal based food products - Google Patents

Abstract

Treatment of cereal grain which avoids expensive fine milling, but which will provide a good quality bakery product comprises heating the grain to rupture it but without denaturing the protein and then comminuting the grain, for example by kibbling, flaking or coarse grinding. Wheat so treated may be used in normal bread making, preferably with addition of gluten and fat.

Description

SPECIFICATION Cereal food products This invention relates to cereal based food products and more particularly, but not exclusively, bread.

The process of breadmaking has until now required the cereal grain, normally wheat, to be finely milled. Modern milling processes are very expensive due to the costly and elaborate equipment used. Several rollers and screens are used to produce the flour needed for baking. The baking process requires that the flour dough, on fermenting with yeast, should rise and retain the carbon dioxide produced, in a matrix of starch and protein. The heat of the oven sets this risen dough into a loaf having a good volume and texture.

If the grain is comminuted into coarse particles by a much simpler and hence cheaper process than milling, the baking process in its normal form will not give a loaf of satisfactory volume and stability because the starch/protein matrix is not liberated from the coarse particles.

Previous attempts to overcome that problem have been only partially successful and need for example a long soaking process in water for several hours to soften the grain.

According to the invention there is provided a process of treating cereal grain comprising the steps of heating the grain to alter the physical structure thereof and before or after said heating step comminuting the grain.

The invention also includes cereal grain treated in accordance with the process of the invention defined above.

Although the consequence of the heat treatment has not been conclusively established it is believed that the treatment ruptures the grain and enables the starch/protein matrix to be made available to the baking process in a way analogous to the normal milling process.

Any suitable method of heating can be employed. The duration and intensity of the heating step is to some extent a matter of choice having regard to the cereal grain being treated and the heating apparatus being used. The heat is preferably applied in a manner which will raise the temperature of the grain rapidly to the stage where grain rupture occurs. However, the heating must not be such as to render the grain unsuitable for baking. For example excessive heat will denature the protein (gluten in the case of wheat) and this will result in poor loaf volume. A short high temperature treatment is preferable to a long low temperature treatment. An example of a heat treatment that can be used in the present invention comprises transporting the grain, for example, on a moving surface, past an infra red heat source.Apparatus suitable for carrying out such a treatment is commercially available, one example being known as a "Microniser". The process heating time in this machine is about 30 secs and the grain reaches a temperature of about 10000. The grain assumes a slightly "puffed" state after heating in this machine and becomes more friable.

This grain is known as "torrefied" grain.

Comminution of the grain can be effected in any suitable way. For example the grain can be milled by a simpie rotating wheel covered with knife blades. Such grain is known commercially as "kibbled grain". The grain can also be passed through simple rollers to give "flaked" grain or stones to give coarsely ground grain.

Normal baking can be carried out with the treated grain of the invention. Prolonged soaking of the grain or further treatment is unnecessary. It is preferable to add a small percentage of gluten and fat to the formulation as is often done in modern plant bakeries.

Another advantage of the process is that the whole of the grain is available for the breadmaking process and this is regarded as more nutritionally sound than milled white grain which has some of the husk and germ removed.

The following Example further illustrates the invention.

EXAMPLE Wheat was torrefied on a commercial "Microniser" and subsequently kibbled on a commercial "kibbling" mill. The milled wheat was used in a conventional baking process with the addition of gluten (2-10%), fat (1%), yeast (2%), salt (1%) and water. Loaves of satisfactory volume were produced.

1. A process for treating cereal grain comprising the steps of heating the grain to alter the physical structure thereof and comminuting the grain before or after the heating step.

2. A process as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the heating step 5 controlled so as to rupture the grain without denaturing the protein content of the grain.

3. A process as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the grain is heated by an infra red heat source.

4. A process as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the grain is comminuted by kibbling, flaking or coarse grinding.

5. A process for treating cereal grain substantially as described herein with reference to the Example.

6. Cereal grain treated by the process as claimed in any preceding claim.

7. Bakery products comprising cereal grain produced by the process as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 5.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Cereal food products This invention relates to cereal based food products and more particularly, but not exclusively, bread. The process of breadmaking has until now required the cereal grain, normally wheat, to be finely milled. Modern milling processes are very expensive due to the costly and elaborate equipment used. Several rollers and screens are used to produce the flour needed for baking. The baking process requires that the flour dough, on fermenting with yeast, should rise and retain the carbon dioxide produced, in a matrix of starch and protein. The heat of the oven sets this risen dough into a loaf having a good volume and texture. If the grain is comminuted into coarse particles by a much simpler and hence cheaper process than milling, the baking process in its normal form will not give a loaf of satisfactory volume and stability because the starch/protein matrix is not liberated from the coarse particles. Previous attempts to overcome that problem have been only partially successful and need for example a long soaking process in water for several hours to soften the grain. According to the invention there is provided a process of treating cereal grain comprising the steps of heating the grain to alter the physical structure thereof and before or after said heating step comminuting the grain. The invention also includes cereal grain treated in accordance with the process of the invention defined above. Although the consequence of the heat treatment has not been conclusively established it is believed that the treatment ruptures the grain and enables the starch/protein matrix to be made available to the baking process in a way analogous to the normal milling process. Any suitable method of heating can be employed. The duration and intensity of the heating step is to some extent a matter of choice having regard to the cereal grain being treated and the heating apparatus being used. The heat is preferably applied in a manner which will raise the temperature of the grain rapidly to the stage where grain rupture occurs. However, the heating must not be such as to render the grain unsuitable for baking. For example excessive heat will denature the protein (gluten in the case of wheat) and this will result in poor loaf volume. A short high temperature treatment is preferable to a long low temperature treatment. An example of a heat treatment that can be used in the present invention comprises transporting the grain, for example, on a moving surface, past an infra red heat source.Apparatus suitable for carrying out such a treatment is commercially available, one example being known as a "Microniser". The process heating time in this machine is about 30 secs and the grain reaches a temperature of about 10000. The grain assumes a slightly "puffed" state after heating in this machine and becomes more friable. This grain is known as "torrefied" grain. Comminution of the grain can be effected in any suitable way. For example the grain can be milled by a simpie rotating wheel covered with knife blades. Such grain is known commercially as "kibbled grain". The grain can also be passed through simple rollers to give "flaked" grain or stones to give coarsely ground grain. Normal baking can be carried out with the treated grain of the invention. Prolonged soaking of the grain or further treatment is unnecessary. It is preferable to add a small percentage of gluten and fat to the formulation as is often done in modern plant bakeries. Another advantage of the process is that the whole of the grain is available for the breadmaking process and this is regarded as more nutritionally sound than milled white grain which has some of the husk and germ removed. The following Example further illustrates the invention. EXAMPLE Wheat was torrefied on a commercial "Microniser" and subsequently kibbled on a commercial "kibbling" mill. The milled wheat was used in a conventional baking process with the addition of gluten (2-10%), fat (1%), yeast (2%), salt (1%) and water. Loaves of satisfactory volume were produced. CLAIMS

1. A process for treating cereal grain comprising the steps of heating the grain to alter the physical structure thereof and comminuting the grain before or after the heating step.

2. A process as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the heating step 5 controlled so as to rupture the grain without denaturing the protein content of the grain.

3. A process as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the grain is heated by an infra red heat source.

4. A process as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the grain is comminuted by kibbling, flaking or coarse grinding.

5. A process for treating cereal grain substantially as described herein with reference to the Example.

6. Cereal grain treated by the process as claimed in any preceding claim.

7. Bakery products comprising cereal grain produced by the process as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 5.