Milling efficiency of triticale grain for commercial flour production

Triticale is a high yielding cereal grain, however low milling yields have discouraged its utilisation as a wheat alternative in processed flour products. This research investigated the role of hardness, grain size and tempering moisture on milling yields in modern triticale genotypes which do not exhibit shrivelled grain morphology. Replicate samples of three triticale varieties grown in two environments with a bread wheat standard were milled at five moisture contents. Both milling yield and ash content increased with decreasing tempering moisture in all genotypes. Triticale milling yield was between 7.1% and 10.1% less than wheat when tempered between 11% and 15% moisture respectively. The very hard textured triticale exhibited extremely low milling yield, similar to durum wheat. The ratio of ash in flour compared to bran was greater in triticale and the ash content of triticale flour could not be reduced to the level of wheat by alteration of tempering moisture. Surface area of larger triticale grain may also influence ideal tempering moisture, however further investigation is required. Milling yields and flour protein content in triticale can be improved by tempering triticale to lower moisture content, provided high ash content is not considered unfavourable in the final product.