Enriched Flour

[David in MN]

So I bought a lot of flour from Costco the other day and as I'm bagging it up to put in the pantry I notice... it's not enriched. It's 100% organic AP white flour.

Not that I'm worried about the lack of B vitamins and iron, I'm just surprised that it's being made this way. And it might make a difference as a prep. Just a head's up. I'd have assumed all flour was enriched.

[Carl]

  Interesting ,I have no thoughts on this,but wish to follow and maybe learn from it.

[chad]

Is that what enriched means? Is that all that's added B vitamins and iron?

[Redman]

Though it is white flour is it bleached or unbleached. Apparently that also makes a difference in the nutrient level. I found a paper in a JAMA publication but the entire thing was only available if you had an account, I don't. This is available as are other articles.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enriched_flour

[David in MN]

Is that what enriched means? Is that all that's added B vitamins and iron?

Basically. It's to bring the nutrient levels back to what they were prior to the grinding. When I did R&D for a flour mill they added back some vitamins and iron mixed in with barley flour as a bulking agent. It's pretty common and basically an industry standard. I highly doubt it has any legitimate effect on anyone's actual health but it's just kind of "what you do".

I hate to speak ill of my former industry but outside of very specific people (think Jewish bakers who demand first clear to blend with rye) the average flour buyer has very little knowledge of what's in the bag. Protein, ash, falling number, and other important details are never reported. You're lucky if you even know the blend of wheats (white/red/summer/winter).

I'm most curious if this is a trend to cut costs or just one-off. The brand is Great River Organic Milling 100% Organic All Purpose White Flour.

[chad]

Interesting,never thought about it before...thanks

[mountainmoma]

I think the B vitamins do some good, especially for those with a realy limited diet. The iron I would rather they left out as all added cheap iron I have seen is not readily absorbable and actually would cause problems in some of us in large enough amounts. I believe there is a big difference between folic acid and folate too  ---

[Redman]

I have often used the Cornell Triple Rich formula in my bread and have noticed an improvement in the way I feel. I would eat the bread daily and over a short time would notice the improvement.

[Stwood]

So I bought a lot of flour from Costco the other day and as I'm bagging it up to put in the pantry I notice... it's not enriched. It's 100% organic AP white flour.

Not that I'm worried about the lack of B vitamins and iron, I'm just surprised that it's being made this way. And it might make a difference as a prep. Just a head's up. I'd have assumed all flour was enriched.

Organic. No protein added from bugs?

[RitaRose1945]

Organic. No protein added from bugs?

You sound like my mom.

She used to freeze flour as soon as she got it home from the store.  When I asked why, she said it killed the bugs that got into it before she bought it.

"But... the bugs are still in the flour!  They're just dead bugs in my food now!"

"They're not going to kill you.  Think of them as added protein."

[David in MN]

As an R&D guy who worked in flour I put every bag in the freezer for 72 hours as a kill step for any bugs.

[Stwood]

You sound like my mom.

She used to freeze flour as soon as she got it home from the store.  When I asked why, she said it killed the bugs that got into it before she bought it.

"But... the bugs are still in the flour!  They're just dead bugs in my food now!"

"They're not going to kill you.  Think of them as added protein."

Lol. Yep, passed down from our mothers. And now that the Organic is more on scene, there will be more bugs showing up in purchased flour.

On a side note, I buy non gmo chopped corn for the piggies. It has bugs in it. Always has, always will be.

[Carl]

  Some where there is a bug complaining about how much pig is in it's corn.

[Redman]

At one time folks around here complained about the worms in redfish. Those not complaining just said it's more protein. Eventually things returned to normal. Nobody cared.