Ingredient Labelling of Wheat

There are many components of wheat used in bakery products or other food items which are may not actually be called wheat in the ingredient list. These ingredients include:

• Bran: Protective outer coating of the wheat grain, which is separated from flour after grinding and commonly found in breakfast cereals and wholemeal breads.
• Wheatgerm: Part of the wheat grain and a rich source of B Vitamins, Oil and Vitamin E. It is used in many health food products as well as baked products.

There are also different names for wheat. These may relate to a particular species of wheat or the name may indicate the way in which the grain has been milled. Here are some examples:

• Durum Wheat: Species of wheat which has the hardest wheat grains. It is preferred for pasta making.
• Spelt: Closely related to modern day wheat, which was popular staple in medieval times and is now making return as a ‘health food’ in breakfast cereals.
• Semolina: Refers to a particular grain being milled to a larger or coarser particle size than commonly used flour. Semolina is used in the manufacture of pasta. Although the term semolina can be applied to any grain it is commonly associated with wheat.
• Couscous: Is a dish made up of spherical granules made by rolling and shaping moistened semolina wheat, which is then coated with finely ground wheat flour.