World Grain - November 2022 - 66

TECHNICAL PROFILE: THE BENEFITS OF COMPOSITE FLOUR
challenges and developed a raw material concept that
deliberately excludes the use of vital gluten to keep the
cost of flour treatment as low as possible for the mills.
" The strongest lever for optimizing the economic
100% wheat flour
Standard treatment
80% wheat flour
20% maize flour
Compozym treatment
consumers are partial to the taste and aroma of maize
or cassava, for example.
No addition of vital gluten
Mühlenchemie has responded to the new technical
aspects of composite flour lies in fine adjustment of
enzyme-based flour treatment, " said Stefan Creutz,
Mühlenchemie's strategic applications development
manager, describing the company's approach to this pioneering
work. " In close cooperation with our African
team, we carried out numerous rheological analyses
and trials in order to achieve the best possible balance
in the different flours with application-specific enzyme
formulations. "
The tasks involved were highly complex, since each
non-wheat flour has different product attributes.
" The high starch content of cassava shortened the
shelf life of the bread, " Creutz said. " Certain millet
varieties produced a very intensive taste, and in some
cases maize flour resulted in a yellowish or granular
crumb structure. "
At the start of the project, the technologists repeatedly
were confronted with adverse effects on volume,
dough stability or the shelf life. But the farther they
delved into the subject of composite flour, the more preTest
run with consumers in Nairobi
To raise their level of self-sufficiency,
several African states
have introduced regulations
aimed at reducing imports of
wheat and promoting the use
of domestic crops. The traditional
crop plants include cassava,
rice, maize (corn), millet/
sorghum, sweet potatoes, and
chickpeas. From a technical
point of view, all these products
can be ground and used
to replace up to 20% of the
wheat flour.
Nevertheless, practical
implementation of the regulations
often is delayed. The
crucial issue is consumer acceptance.
For although composite
flour products have the
advantage
of sustainability,
regional availability and lower
prices, the industry is not sure
how far products baked from
66
composite flours will meet
with acceptance on the part of
consumers.
This key factor is being investigated
by the International
Maize and Wheat Improvement
Center (CIMMYT),
using Kenya as a test region.
In cooperation with local mills
and bakeries, the experts are
producing
sandwich
professional
loaves
and Chapati with 5%, 15% and
20% cassava.
After
evaluation
at a sensory laboratory,
the most promising products
will be selected and tasted by
passers-by at street stalls in
the Nairobi area. In this way,
the research team hopes to
show what usage level of nonwheat
flours will be accepted
in staple foods containing
wheat.
" That is precisely why we
are here, on the spot, tracking
preferences and market trends
as a basis for carrying out specific
tests and developing innovative
solutions together
with our customers, " said David
Nolte, head of technical
operations and research and
development at Stern Ingredients
East Africa (SIEA).
For several months, Mühlenchemie
has been running a
Technology Center in Nairobi
to assist millers and bakers in
seeking a solution.
" All consumers want to enjoy
bakery products of the
same quality every day, even
if wheat qualities change or
non-wheat flours are used, "
he said. " This is where our MC
team can help to achieve the
best possible results. "
November 2022 / World Grain / World-Grain.com
http://www.World-Grain.com
World Grain - November 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of World Grain - November 2022
