If I bake my bread at 475° why worry about flour temp when milling?
I'm new to milling, and have been reading here and elsewhere about storing grain, freezing grain, flour temp, and all the other concerns that crop up with milling. Many folks talk about keeping the flour cool when milling because heat destroys nutrients in the flour. They often reference their flour getting up to temps like 120° F. But I keep wondering why that matters if I'm baking my bread at anywhere from 460° to 500° and the internal temp of the bread gets to 200° to 210°. Wouldn't that destroy nutrients that might have been preserved in the flour by keeping the milled flour temp down?
Any thoughts on this would be much appreciated! And if anyone has any links to actual studies or research that looks at what nutrients are destroyed or retained through milling and baking that would be really interesting!
Thanks in advance, this website has been super useful over the years, it's my go to site for all things baking!
I assume high temp during milling can damage the proteins and give problems for gluten formation. Or starch damage has also been discussed as a factor that affects the dough a lot.
And also perhaps negatively affecting the activity of the enzymes in the flour, needed for correct fermentation.
Lance
Indeed, good point Lance!
That was really helpful, I hadn't thought about those factors. I'd love to find some hard research on these things.
That was really helpful, I hadn't thought about those factors. I'd love to find some hard research on these things.
Useful discussion here: https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/41466/heat-and-milling
That was really helpful, I hadn't thought about those factors. I'd love to find some hard research on these things.
Tom, if you find any hard research, please post it here. This question has been going around for a long time, and while it may be true that high temperature has a negative effect on flour, I have not found anything definitive.
What temperatures do commercial mills reach? Even if they're going slower due to size, larger surface area, more friction.
To accompany my Salzburger electric grain mill, I've ordered their smaller hand mill so I can control my own RPMs when needed, or if I have a raw food purist on my hands. I personally have not noticed any ill effects from heat so far, but who knows at a microscopic level. I routinely grind 1-2 lbs at a time on my electric mill.