Particle size distribution of break, sizing and middling wheat flours by laser diffraction

The particle size distributions of wheat flours collected along a milling diagram were assessed. Nine wheat varieties from the genetic trait Triticum aesticum vulgare and differing in hardness were studied for two consecutive years. Break, sizing and middling flours were collected for each wheat at different stages in an experimental mill, with all the milling conditions being kept constant. The particle size distributions were measured from 1·5 to 600 μm by using a laser light diffraction apparatus. The distributions were compared by principal component analysis. The method provided a global and synthetic comparison of all the flour fractions. In the case of the soft varieties, the distributions exhibited a first mode around 25 μm, corresponding mainly to isolated starch granules. The distribution of this mode was very low or non-existent for the hard varieties. As the milling conditions were the same for all the wheats, the different proportions measured for this mode were interpreted as being directly representative of the wheat hardness. The proportion of the 25 μm mode was considered as a measure of the ability of the wheat to release starch granules and could be used to follow a grinding or milling process.