IGP Institute

Wheat and Flour Testing

This web site is the result of a USDA Market Access Program grant made available to the International Grains Program at Kansas State University, in cooperation with the Wheat Marketing Center, Inc. and the Northern Crops Institute by the Market Access Program (MAP) Committee of the North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA).

PURPOSE:

Click the following link for a copy of the complete Wheat and Flour Testing Book: Wheat and Flour Testing Book

  1. Section one introduces the rules and terms incorporated into a standard grain contract according to the North American Export Grain Association.
  2. Section two provides information about the origin and usage of the different classes of wheat available from the United States. It also gives general information describing the sampling and grading procedures of export wheat shipments by the United States Department of Agriculture, Federal Grain Inspection Services to ensure grain is shipped according to the quality terms of the export contract.
  3. This Web site incorporates testing methods to determine the physical and rheological properties of wheat and flour as well as laboratory product testing of a variety of wheat-based finished products. Formulas and processing steps are briefly described and finished product attributes are presented.

This web site evolved from the book “Wheat and Flour Testing Methods: A Guide to Understanding Wheat and Flour Quality” published by the Wheat Marketing Center, Inc. Portland Oregon, and provides basic information in a clear and concise format. The testing methods and finished product pages are organized into three parts.

FOR TESTING:

Contact the Wheat Quality Lab: www.grains.k-state.edu/wheatlab. The Wheat Quality Lab functions as a service lab, providing an unbiased assessment of hard winter wheat and flour quality and end-use value to all sectors of the wheat industry through wheat and flour testing services.

Originally, the Wheat Quality Lab was created to support the KSU Wheat Breeding Program. It is the principal testing and marketing effort funded by the Kansas Wheat Commission. In this role, the lab provides Kansas wheat breeders, producers, and researchers with timely, quality data that augment their selection of promising new wheat varieties. The lab also assists Kansas and U.S. wheat marketing efforts for domestic and export customers.


The Wheat Quality Lab supports and collaborates in the research efforts of faculty, research staff, and graduate students in Grain Science, Agronomy, Plant Pathology, and Entomology.

This Web site evolved from the book “ Wheat and Flour Testing Methods: A Guide to Understanding Wheat and Flour Quality” published by the Wheat Marketing Center, Inc. Portland Oregon , provides basic information in a clear and concise format. The testing methods and finished product pages are organized into three parts.

  • The first part is titled “ Method ” and it sets out the steps involved in performing the analysis or producing the product.

  • The second part is titled “ What do the results mean?” and it explains the results of the testing procedures or describes the desirable characteristics of finished products.

  • The third part is titled “ Why is this important?” and it provides an explanation of the relevance and application of the testing methods and the finished products.