What is Wheat

A Brief History

Wheat is a type of grass that developed in the Middle East through the spontaneous and deliberate cross-breeding of wild grasses (Triticum and Aegilops). It appears that wheat was domesticated more than once and the exact origin of wheat is still not known.

Wheat cultivation became widespread, because wheat was a food that could be stored and used throughout the year. It is known that bread wheat was being cultivated in 5000 BC in the Nile and its cultivation spread gradually to other parts of the world, reaching Britain in about 2000 BC, to Mexico by the 16th century and to North America by the 18th century.

Types of Wheat and Their Uses

Wheat is divided into two main types - hard and soft. Hard and soft describe the texture of the endosperm.

Hard wheat is used in bread and fine cake making because of its high gluten (protein content). It is gluten which binds the flour particles into a structure and makes for high water absorbancy. One of the hardest wheats is Durum wheat, which is used in the manufacture of pasta. The hard endosperm requires more energy in the milling process and consequently there is more damage to starch granules than in the the milling of soft varieties.

The soft varieties are more starchy and tend to be used for non-fermented products that do not require a dough, such as baby foods, pastry, biscuits and ice cream cones.

World Production of Wheat

Wheat is close third to rice and sweetcorn in terms of total production. It is well adpated to harsh climates and so is grown where it is too dry and cold for rice and corn. The largest producers of wheat in the world are China, India, North America, France and Russia. US and Canadian wheats have a high protein content and are often blended with softer European wheats to produce flours for bread-making.