The issue of flour bleaching agents has recently become a major focus of attention. On December 9, the State Grain Administration submitted an application to the Ministry of Health requesting the ban on the flour treatment agent, benzoyl peroxide. On December 10, Mao Quan'an, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, responded that the matter would be referred to the National Food Additives Standardization Committee for discussion according to relevant regulations, before a final decision on the ban is made. Putting the ban aside for now, it should be noted that flour is not necessarily better the whiter it is, so there is no need to deliberately pursue it.
Senior Engineer Liu Fangcheng of the Beijing Food Science Society explains that the reason flour turns white is due to the high proportion of carbohydrates in its nutritional content. However, in such cases, the amount of trace elements like calcium, iron, and zinc in the flour is relatively reduced. "Although whiter flour may be considered of better quality, this is not the case from a nutritional perspective. In contrast, darker-colored flour contains more trace elements and thus has higher nutritional value."
The whiter the flour, the lower its protein content. Liu Fangcheng introduced that flour on the market is now categorized into high-gluten, medium-gluten, and low-gluten flour based on protein content. The lower the gluten content, the whiter the flour, meaning the lower the protein content. High-gluten flour is darker in color and is suitable for making bread. Medium-gluten flour is milky-white, lying between high and low-gluten flour, and can be used for making buns, steamed buns, and noodles. Low-gluten flour is whiter, has a low protein content, less gluten, and weak gluten strength, making it suitable for Western pastries like cakes, loose cakes, and cookies that require a fluffy and crispy texture.
The whiter the flour, the lower its mineral content. Furthermore, the degree of refinement is also a major consideration when people choose flour today. Liu Fangcheng stated that according to this standard, flour is divided into various grades such as Special Grade 1, Special Grade 2, Grade 1, and Grade 2. "Generally, the higher the mineral content, the lower the grade of the flour; conversely, the less the content, the higher the grade. However, it is obvious that flour with a higher mineral content is certainly more nutritious from a nutritional standpoint, but this also causes the flour's color to be slightly grayish." Taking the two most common types of flour on the market, Strong Flour and Standard Flour, as an example, because the latter has higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements than the former, it is definitely more nutritious. However, in terms of grade, Strong Flour is Special Grade 2, while Standard Flour is Grade 2.
Whole wheat flour has the highest nutritional value. In the past, it was less popular due to its poor texture, but in recent years, its rich nutritional value has been gradually recognized: whole wheat flour is rich in vitamins B1, B2, B6, niacin, and trace elements like calcium, iron, and zinc. Whole wheat flour has also become favored by many people. It can be said that whole wheat flour is the most nutritious among the common types of flour available on the market today. Moreover, upon closer inspection, eating whole wheat flour is not as bland as one might imagine.
Therefore, Liu Fangcheng finally reminds consumers that when purchasing flour, one must first consider their own needs and choose the most suitable flour for the food they are about to make; second, carefully read the nutritional information on the flour packaging. Only by paying attention to both internal qualities and external presentation can one find the best flour.