Environmental factors influence milling and physical properties and flour size distribution of organic spelt wheat

Spelt grain harvested at four organic farms in Poland were assessed for physical and milling properties and flour size distribution. The spelt grain was diversified in relation to the majority of tested milling quality parameters. The environmental conditions had a significant impact on thousand kernel weight, vitreousness, PSI, kernel ash content, specific energy of milling and the particle size distribution of flour. The values of specific energy of milling, coefficient of grinding efficiency, rupture force and rupture energy in the spelt from the organic farms were significantly lower than common wheat. The highest spelt flour yield was obtained of kernels cultivated on ecological farm with semi-coherent and very dry soil was similar to that of common wheat; the milling yield of the spelt originating from other farms was by 9.5% to 12.7% less than from the wheat one. The greatest differences in PSD between the tested flours were detected for the values over 40 μm. The content of this fraction was determined in the range of app. 1% to almost 4.5%; the flour from common wheat contained app. 2.8% of this fraction.