May 10, 2007 - 8:00pm
Anyone familiar with this flour?
I've been part of a buy group from an organic wholesaler for a few months now, and I've so far ordered 2 50lb bags of organic flour (and gone through them astonishingly quickly) - one was a local (B.C. mainland) unbleached white, 12% protein, and the other was an American unbleached white, 10% protein. Both were good flours, although the 10% flour made my loaves a little softer than I like (due to the protein content, I know).
Here's my question: I see in their catalogue a "Strong Baker's Flour UBUB" (which I think means "unbleached, unbrominated"). Any idea what "strong" might mean? High in protein? And what effect would "unbrominated" have on bread? Are most flours brominated?
Thanks.
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> And what effect would "unbrominated" have on bread?
> Are most flours brominated?
When flourmaking was first industrialized on a large scale, flour producers started adding potassium bromate (among other things) as both a preservative and dough conditioner. This is no longer considered the wisest idea for a number of reasons (I believe it is actually banned in Califormia), and organic/artisan breadmakers in particular reject bromates and select "unbromated" flour.
sPh
Personally, I'd not bake with bromated flour -- it has been shown to be a carcinogen in laboratory tests (though some bakers say the bromate "bakes out"). Nevertheless, it's one heck of a dough conditioner. Here's some loaves baked with bromated flour.
Hmmm...Ok, so unbrominated is a good thing. Thanks for your input - I think I'll give this flour a try.