General Mills Introduces Ground White Whole Wheat Flour

17/11/05 General Mills Bakeries & Foodservice announces an exciting innovation in bakery flour - Gold Medal Stone Ground White Whole Wheat Flour. The company notes that earlier this year, the USDA introduced the 2005 Dietary Guidelines emphasizing that consumers should increase their whole grain consumption to at least three servings per day. The move comes as part of an ongoing strategy to help bakeries meet increasing consumer demand for more whole grain in foods.

In a national survey, 91 percent of Americans said they want to eat more whole grain, but nine out of 10 do not eat the minimum daily amount. With today’s consumers looking for options to make whole grain goodness a part of their diet plan, bakers are increasingly seeking ways to incorporate whole wheat flour into current yeast-raised dough formulas. 

For many consumers, however, whole grain baked goods may equate to strong and even bitter flavor profiles. These strong flavors originate from the bran coat of the hard red wheat that is commonly used for whole wheat flour. White wheat, actually golden in color, offers a mild, slightly sweet flavor.

“White whole wheat flour brings the benefits of whole grain to breads and other baked goods with a milder, sweeter taste than standard whole wheat flours,” said Betsy Frost, associate marketing manager, General Mills Bakeries & Foodservice. “When bakers add white whole wheat flour to baked goods, it’s easier for consumers to incorporate whole grain into their diets.”

Gold Medal Stone Ground White Whole Wheat Flour is milled to a fine granulation from premium hard white wheat. This unbleached and untreated flour is perfect for use in formulas that call for regular whole wheat flour.  Its many uses include whole wheat breads and rolls, specialty breads, pizza crust, muffins and cookies.

According to Tim Huff, technical services manager for General Mills Bakeries & Foodservice, baking with whole wheat flour is quite different than baking with regular white flour.

“Whole wheat flour has several effects on dough,” said Huff. “For instance, whole wheat flour will weaken the gluten structure of a dough, therefore making it less tolerant to mix. Bran flakes in the whole wheat flour deteriorate the strength of the gluten and will yield a dense product if no adjustments are made.”

For bakers looking to incorporate whole wheat, Huff recommends making a few formula adjustments such as replacing 10 to 20 percent of regular white flour with whole white wheat, gradually making adjustments keeping in mind that whole wheat will generally take up more water and require less mix time. Huff also suggests adding a slight sweetener, such as honey, to balance the flavor.