INFERIOR FLOUR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22572, 27 February 1948, Page 4

INFERIOR FLOUR

BAKERS EXTRACTION RATE NO CHANGE FOR 2 YEARS (P.A.) NEW PLYMOUTH. Feb. 27. The reduction of the hour extraction rate from 80 per cent to the bakers’ demand of 72 per cent was not likely to occur for another two years, the general manager of the Wheat Committee. Mr R. McPherson, told the annual conference of the New Zealand Federation of Bakers and Pastrycooks at New Plymouth last night. During a three-hour discussion bakers blamed the higher rate of extraction for many of the public complaints about the quality of bread and criticised the quality of' the flour being supplied by the mills. Testing Before Release After hearing explanations by Mr, McPherson and the chief chemist of the Wheat Research Institute, Mr E. W. Hullett, the conference endorsed the recommendation of the national council that because of the unsatisfactory quality of the flour and the futility of expecting bakers to forward samples of flour to the Wheat Research Institute for testing. It be urged that all flour should comply with the standard test before it is released to the bakers. *We have been unable to get the high quality of flour required to produce bread of pre-war quality," said the Dominion president, Mr T H. McKenzie (Southland)). "Because we are at the delivery end of the line we get the kicks in the pants from the public.” Never Kno w Quality "We do not complain about the quality of all flour, but we do complain that we never know what the quality is going to be ,” said Mr H. E. Fairey (Wellington). He had made a claim on the Wheat Committee for the loss incurred in the return of bread and block cake that became mouldy during Christmas, and lie was advised that the committee accepted no liability because the quality of the flour had nothing to do with mould formng, because mould bacteria were killed in the baking process. Rightly or wrongly, bakers in Wellington and West Coast districts blamed mould on the condition of the flour. Some flour submitted for test from Wellington had scored 16 points of a total of 50 points, and was declared unfit for bakers’ use. Although 80 per cent extraction flour was not of such good baking quality as flour of lower extraction and required more technical skill i n manufacturing, it was of much better food value although the loaf might not be as attractive, said Mr McPherson. World Wheat Supply “I cannot promise any reduction in the extraction rale for at least two years. I say that because the authorities who know the position, agree that* it will be at least two years before the world will be on its feet again as far as a proper supply of wheat is concerned. All the importing countries are o n a higher extraction -ate than New Zealand.” Dealing with complaints about the quality of flour. Mr McPherson said the regulations laid it down that it was the duty of bakers to themselves, the Wheat Committee and the millers to turn down unsuitable flour. He agreed that bakers of 40 years’ experience could detect inferior flour, but if the millers were to be penalised the flour had to be tested bv independent persons and the Wheat Research institute was the body selected for that ourpose. “We don’t want the bakers to make bread with musty flour,” he said, urging them to return samples for testing. He exnlained the variety of sources from which flour could obtain taint, which, he admitted, could be transferred to bread in spite of the baking process.