Worldwide, wheat is one of the most widely consumed cereal crops, followed by rice. Globally, India is second in wheat production after China. Praemium ACE Foods sources wheat from the major wheat-growing Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh. While rice is the staple food in the southern part of the country, Indians in the north and west prefer wheat products.   

In India, wheat is a winter crop. When kernels of wheat harden and the plant turns straw-colored, it is harvest time. Harvesting is usually done manually with a sickle, with farmers threshing the crop using a thresher or treading the wheat with cattle. 

Wheat Specifications

Grade 1 Indian Wheat  Specifications:

  • 1000 kernel weight: 30-32
  • Protein: 11% – 13%
  • Moisture content: 12% max
  • Damaged kernels: 0.5% max
  • Foreign material: 2.5% max
  • Imperfect grains: 0.5% max
  • Wet gluten: 26% min
  • Dry gluten: 10% min
  • Dockage: 1-3% max
  • Radiation: normal
  • Water absorption: 76% min

Grade 2 Indian Wheat (FCI quality) Specifications:

  • Moisture 14% max
  • Test weight 76 Kg /HL
  • Foreign matter (dirt/dust): 1% -2.5% max & other non-edible matters) 1.5% Max
  • Other food grains: 3% max
  • Shriveled & broken grain: 3% max
  • Damaged grain: 0.5% max
  • Imperfect grains: 0.5% max
  • Dry gluten: 10% min
  • Wet gluten: 22% min
  • Protein on dry basis: 12.00% (rejection below: 11%)
  • Dockage: 1-3% max
  • Radiation: normal
  • Water absorption: 76% Min
  • Amber vitreous kernels: 90.0% Min
  • Ergot (if any) 0.1%
  • Color: natural specific

Grade 1 Milling Wheat

  • Origin: India
  • Protein: 11% min
  • Moisture content: 12% max
  • Damaged kernels: 3% max
  • Foreign material: 2% max
  • Gluten: 9.5% min
  • Wet gluten: 24% Min
  • Falling number / sec: 300 – 400 min
  • Other food grains: 2% max
  • Bored grains: 2% max

Durum Wheat

  • Origin: India
  • Protein: 12.5% min
  • Moisture: 13.5% max
  • Falling number: 300 min
  • Heat damaged kernels: 0.2% max
  • Total damaged kernel: 4.0% max
  • Shrunken & broken kernels: 5.0% max
  • Total defects: 5.0% max
  • Total other classes: 2.0% max
  • Foreign material: 0.7% max
  • Dockage: 1.5% max
  • Test weight: 58 lbs per bushel
  • Vitreous amber kernels: 80% min

Grade 1 Feed Wheat

  • Protein: 11.5% min
  • Moisture: 14% max
  • Test weight: 79 kg/hl, min
  • Foreign matter: 0.75% max
  • Broken kernels: 1.5% max
  • Heat damaged kernels: 0.5% max
  • Total damaged kernels: 1.0% max
  • Smutty kernels: 0.1% max
  • Weevil kernels: 0.5% max
  • White belly: 15% max
  • Melilotus indicus L: 8 SDS
  • Gluten: 2.7% max
  • Water absorption: 75% min
  • Radiation: none

Grade 2 Feed Wheat

  • Protein: 10.5% min
  • Moisture: 14% max
  • Foreign matter: 1.5% max
  • Heat damaged kernels: 1.0% max
  • Total damaged kernels: 2.0% max
  • Smutty kernels: 0.2% max
  • Weevil kernels: 0.5% max
  • White belly: 40% max
  • Melilotus indicus L: 8 SDS (Safety Data Sheet?)
  • Water absorption: 75% min
  • Radiation: none

Grade 3 Feed Wheat

  • Protein: 9.5% min
  • Moisture: 14% max
  • Test weight: 73 kg/hl, min
  • Foreign matter: 3.0% max
  • Heat damaged kernels: 1.5% max
  • Total damaged kernels: 3.0% max
  • Smutty kernels: 0.3% max
  • Weevil kernels: 0.5% max
  • White belly: 40% max
  • Melilotus indicus L: 8 SDS (Safety Data Sheet?)
  • Gluten: 2.7% max
  • Water absorption: 75% min
  • Radiation: no absorption

Wheat Flour

Wheat Flour Specifications

  • Moisture: 13%
  • Gluten dry basis: 9% to 11.00%
  • Ash dry basis: 0.70 max
  • Acid dry basis: 0.05%
  • Acidity: 0.10%
  • Granularity: Passing through 180-micron sieve
  • Extensibility: W value approx. 160
  • Sedimentation value: 22-24 ml

Specifications per 100 Grams of Whole Wheat Flour

  • Dry basis protein 10 to 12%
  • Carb 65 to 72%
  • Fat 0.75 to 1%
  • Fiber 1.60 to 2.0%
  • Minerals 1.20 to 1.77%
  • Energy 365 to 390 K.Cal.
  • Moisture 10% to 11%.
  • Packing: 50 kg in pp or based on buyer’s specifications

Flour available based on buyer’s preferred specifications as well.

Microbiological Requirements for Wheat Dour (Refined Flour – MAIDA) 

51 Characteristic Requirements of Method 

Moisture, percent by mass, max 13’0 

  1.  Protein (N X 5’7) percent by mass 11 (on dry basis)
  2.  Gluten, percent by mass on dry 9’5 min
  3. Total ash (on dry basis), percent 0’5 max 
  4.  Acid insoluble ash, percent by mass 0’05 (on dry basis)
  5.  Alcoholic acidity n 90 0’1 percent by mass
  6.  Water absorption, percent, min 60 IS 12516 maltose
  7.  Granularity to satisfy 1009 t 
  8.  Uric acid mg/IOO g, max 10 IS 43$3
  9. Total bacterial count per g, max 100000 IS 5402 
  10. Coliform bacterial count per g, MtJJt 500 IS 5401  
  11. E coli absent IS 5887 (in one gram)
  12. Yeast/mold count per g
  13. Bacterial rope spore, count per g, max 100