Cereals

• Cereals include wheat, rice, maize, oats, rye, and barley.
• The structure of the wheat grain consists of 13% bran, 85% endosperm, and 2% germ.
• Wheat, oats, rice, maize, and barley are types of cereal grains.
• Cereal grains are a good source of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
• Winter wheat is the main wheat grown, with less than 10% protein (gluten), grown in climates with milder winters, such as Ireland.
• Spring wheat has a higher protein (gluten) content of 12–14%, grown in climates that have cold winters and hot summers, such as North America.
• The nutritive value of cereals includes protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
• Wheat is a good source of B group vitamins, including vitamin E, and is a valuable source of LBV protein.
• Cereals are an inexpensive, readily available food which are very versatile.
• Cereals cannot be digested by coeliacs, who must therefore avoid wheat, oats, barley and rye.
• Phytic acid in cereals can inhibit the absorption of calcium and iron.
• Gluten in cereals cannot be digested by coeliacs.
• Types of rice include oats, maize, rye and barley.
• Moist heat causes starch grains to swell, burst and absorb the cooking liquid, e.g. roux sauce.
• Label with the name of the cereal product and best before date.
• Ensure packaging is properly sealed.
• Protein (gluten) coagulates in dry heat, setting cakes and breads.
• Milling wheat into flour involves stones, soil, dust being removed by sieves, giving correct moisture content, different wheats being mixed together (grist), wholegrain flour being produced, and the grain being separated into bran, germ and rough endosperm (semolina).
• Wholemeal flour is produced by screening, cleaning, milling, conditioning, blending, break rollling, and packaging.
• Once opened, store cereal products in an airtight container.
• Dry heat causes starch grains to swell, burst and absorb fat, e.g. pastry and popcorn.
• Dextrinisation of starch and caramelisation of sugar causes browning on the surface of breads and cakes.
• Store cereal products in a cool, dry, well-ventilated space.
• Cellulose and starch softens, making it easier to digest, e.g. wholegrain rice.
• Flour has different extraction rates, with 100% being full grain ground between stones instead of rollers, 100% being none of the grain removed, 85% having a lot of bran removed, less than 75% having bran and germ removed, less than 75% having white flour with raising agent added, and less than 75% having white flour with high gluten content.
• Use within the best before date.
• White flour (plain or cream) is produced by sifting and purifying, reducing rollers, air classifying, and packaging.
• Some B-group vitamins are lost, as they are not heat stable.
• Rice products include breakfast cereals, rice flour, rice pudding, rice paper, and rice cakes.