Laboratory‐scale milling of whole‐durum flour quality: effect of mill configuration and seed conditioning

BACKGROUND Research was conducted to develop a laboratory milling procedure to make whole‐durum flour. An ultracentrifugal mill was evaluated by determining the effect of mill configuration and seed conditioning on particle size distribution and quality of whole‐wheat flour. RESULTS Particle size of whole‐wheat flour decreased as screen aperture decreased from 1000 to 250 µm; as rotor speed increased from 6000 to 18 000 rpm; and as seed conditioning moisture content decreased from 150 to 90 g kg −1 . Feed rate during milling did not affect particle size distribution. Starch damage decreased as screen aperture increased; as rotor speed increased from 6000 to12 000 rpm; and as seed conditioning moisture content decreased from 150 to 90 g kg −1 . Flour temperature varied with milling parameters but did not exceed 34 °C. CONCLUSION An ultracentrifugal mill configured with a rotor speed of 12 000 rpm, screen aperture of 250 µm, and seed conditioning moisture of 90 g kg −1 resulted in a fine whole‐wheat flour where 82% of particles were <150 µm, starch damage was 59 g kg −1 , and flour temperature was below 35 °C.