According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO, cereals are the most important sources of food, Cereal grains contain carbohydrates- mainly starches (comprising 65 to 75% of their total weight), as well as proteins (6 to 12%) and fat (1 to 5%) together with traces of minerals and B vitamins. Majority of world daily caloric intake is derived directly form cereal grain consumption.
Cereal crops provide essential nutrients and energy in the everyday human diet through two different ways:
*Direct human consumption
*Via meat production since they comprise a major livestock feed
Milling is the main process associated with cereals, especially the bread cereals wheat and rye and the process represents the principal procedure in the cereal industry. Milling is classified in two categories: dry and wet.
In dry milling, the process separates the outer fibrous materials and germ, which are considered by-products of the grain endosperm. While, wet milling is mainly used for the production of starch and gluten, having as coproducts steep solids (rich in nutrients valuable for the pharmaceutical industry), germ (intended for the oil-crushing industry), and bran.
There are variety of products produced from cereal grains and can be divided to four different groups:
*Baked products. Include breads, pastries, pancakes, cookies and cakes
*Milled grain products. Such as polished rice, farina, wheat flour, cornmeal, hominy, corn grits, pearled barley, semolina (for macaroni products), prepared breakfast cereals, soup, gravy and other thickenings
*Beverages made from fermented grain
*Whole-grain products include breakfast cereal
Cereal Grains In General
