FarmLink Hp heatis grown \ [/ throughout the FY LF sword and has j provided nations ith theieaity bread’ for centuries. Itis usually milled and used'to produce + baked products, breakfast cereals, snack foods, pasta products and many more traditional products. This article provides some insight into the major species of wheat cultivated throughout the world and highlights some processing options. ‘There are three major cultivated wheat Species ~ current, wild and ancient. According to the Wheat Atlas, common wheat (bread wheat) is the most ted variety in South Africa. Wheat species include: © Hexaploid species: ‘© Common wheat or bread wheat Is the most widely cultivated FARMUINK 7 MAY 2018 By Theresa Siebert, ARC Institute for Agricultural Engineering variety of hexaploid wheat species in the world, Spelt is cultivated in more limited quantities and is, sometimes considered a subspecies of common wheat. Tetraploid species: Durum is the second most cultivated wheat variety today. Emmer isan ancient grain type, which is no longer widely cultivated. Khorasan is another ancient wheat type and derives its name from a historical region in modern-day Afghanistan and north-eastern Iran. This ancient grain variety has grain size twice that of modern wheat {and is well known for having a rich, nutty flavour. Diploid species: Einkorn is a grain type with both wild and cultivated variants, The domesticated grain varieties einkorn, emmer and spelt all have hulls These hulls are toughened glumes that close tightly around the grains. In domesticated wheats, it includes a brittle rachis that breaks easily when threshed. ‘This means that when threshed, the ‘wheat ear breaks up into spikelets, and in order to obtain the wheat grain, further processing Is required. This processing may include milling or pounding to remove the hulls. Free-threshing wheat varieties, such ‘as durum and common wheat, have fragile glumes and tough rachis, which ‘means that when threshed the chaff breaks up, releasing the wheat grains. © Baked bread Is produced from wheat flour, salt and water that is mixed to form a dough. The dough is aerated by carbon dioxide produced by yeast fermentation or otherchemical means. Various commercial methods can be used to bake bread, ‘These processes differ primarily according to the way in which the dough is developed: © Biologically, by yeast fermentation: bulk fermentation processes (for ‘example, straight dough and sponge and dough), © Mechanically, by intense mixing and the use of oxidising agents (for example, Do-maker, ‘Amflow and Chorleywood), © Chemically, using reducing and oxidising agents (for example, activated dough development) Couscous is a traditional African dish made of coarse wheat flour {semolina/farina) with an appearance similar to broken rice, It is prepared by mixing it with water to form a dough that is then cooked or steamed. Cooking can be performed over broth, often with meat or fruit added. The modern process involves steaming the kneaded dough until all the starch is fully gelatinised and then drying It to produce an instant pre-cooked product. Instant dried noodles are pre- cooked (steamed) and dried before packaging and only requires FarmLink the addition of hot water for reconstruction and consumption. The dried product has a moisture content of 810%, Instant fried noodles are pre- cooked (steamed) and fred before packaging and only requires ‘cheating before consumption. The moisture content of the fried product is only 5-896. It is sometimes referred [Link] ramen/ramyean, ‘Oven putfed wheat: Oven puffing entails cooking and toasting (¢rying) whole wheat grain to obtain the desired moisture content before exposing It to a sudden application of heat at atmospheric pressure to vaporise the moisture into steam. In doing 50, the product is expanded Pretzels are wheat-based snacks ‘made from very stiff dough that is extruded into a unique shape, Puffed wheat products are consumed as ready-to-eat breakfast cereals manufactured from whole, ‘cooked wheat kernels that are ‘exposed to a sudden drop in pressure, causing the kernel to‘pulf" out. Rapidly re-hydrating pasta only requires the addition of bolling water to re-hydrate and is ready for consumption within minutes. ‘The product typically has small shape tallow for easy water absorption. Shredded wheat i ready-to-eat breakfast cereal in the form of biscuit that requires the addition of mikprioe to consumption. Tortillas ae Mat, circulag light= coloured bread thats oughly 3mm thickand 15-30cm in hameter Its prepared from wheat flour andi traditional Mexican product tis eaten plain or wrapped around various fillings, used ae tasty fod scoops, toasted and topped with salad Torti are the bas for burritos, tacos anda mutttude of ther dishes. ‘Wheat porridge isa hot breakfast cereal that requires home cooking ~it is granular wheat endosperm from hard wheat. The endosperm is simply broken or pressed with or without toasting. 7 FARMUINK Senay 2018,