Factors that determine the quality of grains and pulses for human consumption

Wheat
Once wheat has been harvested, it is usually sent to a central bulk handling system where grain quality is determined by:

• Protein content
• Grain hardness
• Dough properties
• Milling quality.

Wheat is graded into nine major products:

• Milling wheat for human food production is segregated according to grain hardness and protein content (% of total crop in 1998-99):
  
  Hard grain, high protein varieties: Prime hard (5%) and Australian Hard (14%)
  Medium grain, moderate protein varieties: Premium White (31%) and Australian Standard White (32%)
  Varieties for speciality products: Durum and Noodle
  Soft grained, low protein varieties: Soft andGeneral Purpose.
  
  
• Feed wheat used for livestock consumption.

Rice
Rice quality is determined by appearance, particularly grain size and shape, milling quality, cooking and eating quality.

Australia produces a wide range of varieties including long grain (e.g. Indica), short and medium grain (e.g. Japonica) varieties.

Pulses
Pulses for human consumption must have the following qualities:

• Large and uniform seed sizes
• Minimal discolouration in seeds
• Minimal split, chipped or broken seeds
• No foreign seeds
• Little insect damage

The industry has in place quality control programs to ensure that these criteria
are met.

Additional link

• Products of flour milling
• Principles of grains processing systems

For Further Research