The Importance of Ash Content in Flour Streams
Wheat flour ash content is the primary regulatory and trade specification standard. Ash indicates the proportion of bran contamination in the endosperm. Flour mills must separate stream splits carefully to maximize extraction rates while meeting maximum ash limits (typically 0.55% for patent flour). Traditional laboratory muffle furnace testing takes 4 hours, during which hundreds of tons of off-spec flour can be produced.
Inline NIR Ash Analysis
USTECH ProLine2550 spectrometers equipped with pneumatic flour flow cells allow continuous, non-destructive monitoring of ash, protein, and moisture directly in the product pipe. Spectrometer algorithms convert spectral absorption bands into dry-basis ash and protein percentages instantly.
Key Operational Benefits
- Instant Grade Changes: Detect stream crossings immediately, optimizing the separation of patent and clear flour.
- Optimized Tempering: Control tempering water additions based on incoming wheat grain moisture scans, avoiding dry or soft milling issues.
References
- AACCI Method 08-21.01 - Prediction of Ash Content in Wheat Flour - NIR method.
- "Multivariate Modeling of Ash and Wet Gluten in High-Throughput Wheat Mills," Journal of Cereal Chemistry, 2023.