1. Understanding Food Amy Brown
Chapter 21:
Cereal Grains and Pasta

2. Composition of Cereal Grains
Structure
All grasses have individual kernels or grains, called caryopses, which are similar in structure.
Each caryopsis has a:
Protective outer husk
Bran covering
Starchy endosperm
Germ

3. Composition of Cereal Grains
Husk: The rough outer covering protecting the grain.
Bran: The hard outer covering just under the husk that protects the grain’s soft endosperm.
Endosperm: The largest portion of the grain, containing all of the grain’s starch.
Germ: The smallest portion of the grain, and the embryo for a future plant.

6. Uses of Cereal Grains
Most of the cereal grains produced are used for flour, pasta, and breakfast cereals.
They are also used in the production of alcoholic beverages and animal feeds.

7. Uses of Cereal Grains

8. Types of Cereal Grains
The three dominant grains grown within the last 5,000 to 8,000 years of human history appear to have been:
Wheat
Barley
Rice
The grains of primary importance in the world now in descending order are:
Wheat
Rice
Corn
Barley
Millet
Sorghum
Oats
Rye
Wheat classification see next slide
US 2nd largest producer of wheat (Russia first)
75% made into flour
Barley one of the oldest cultivated grains.
Rice over half of the world’s population relies on rice as food staple. A symbol of life and fertility, this thrown at weddings.

9. Major types of wheat are winter (hard) and spring (soft)
They differ in their protein content.
Durum is the hardest and the highest in protein, and most suitable in bread and pasta production.
Majority of wheat grown int eh US is soft or common. Lowere in protein and ideal for cakes , cookies, etc.

10. Types of Cereal Grains
Rice is classified according to mode of cultivation, grain length and texture.
Over 90% is cultivated submerged in water and is known as lowland, wet, or irrigated rice. Highland, hill, or dry rice is grown in areas of plentiful rain without flooding.
The length in relationship to the width of the grain determines if rice is long, medium or short grain. Most long grain rices (about 4x longer than wide), cook to a drier, fluffier consistency which allows separation.
Med and short have less amylose, which makes them stickier
Long grain more amylose, short grain more amylopectin

11. Forms of Rice White Converted Instant Brown Specialty Wild
White – rice that has been milled an dploished to remove husk, bran, germ plus fiber and most of B vitamins and iron.
Converted – or parboiled, a long grain rice that has been soaked, steamed under pressure and dried before milling. Stays firmer and separate better
Instant – or precooked has been cooked and then dehydrated. Inferior texture.
Brown – bran and germ left intact, only hull removed. Longer cooking times but more fiber, vitamins and B vitamins. Tougher texture
Specialty – nuttier tastes and more expensive jasmine
Wild not a rice or even a grain. It is a grass. 2x the protein and more B vitamins than white rice.

14. Types of Cereal Grains Other Grains
Triticale
Buckwheat is not related to wheat and is not a true grain.
It is the fruit of a leafy plant that is related to rhubarb.
Some new grains have entered the market, including:
Amaranth
Kamut
Quinoa
Triticale is a relatively new hybrid grain that was developed in 1875 by a Scottish botanist.
Higher in protein content and more of the essential amino acid lysine than wheat. Lysine is the most common limiting aa in wheat. Not widely used because of sticky dough problems
Buckwheat is not related to wheat and is not a true grain.
It is the fruit of a leafy plant that is related to rhubarb.
Amaranth – high protein grain very small grain “some things are not worth an amarnth seed”
Kamut nutritionally superieor to wehat lower in protein, buttery flavor but does contain gluten
Quinoa staple of andes. “Inca Rice” Very tiny; seed-like kernels.

15. Preparation of Cereal Grains
The desired results in prepared grains are most commonly achieved by moist-heat methods:
Boiling
Simmering
Microwaving
Baking in the presence of liquid
In natural form are nearly indigestible.
When in water the outer covering softens and makes the enosperm digestible. Cooking also gelatinizs the starch.
Gelatinization occurs when heated starch molecules absorb water and expand. The degreee of expansion depends on the type of grain and is partially caused by the escape of amylose and amylopectin from the starch granule.

18. Preparation of Cereal Grains
Factors Influencing Grain Cooking:
Form of grain
Presence of bran or hull
pH of the water
Desired tenderness
…are factors that influence the amount of:
Water to be used
Heat intensity
Cooking time
Any reduction in particle size through:
Cracking
Rolling
Cutting
Flaking
…decreases the heating time.

19. Storage of Cereal Grains
Dry grains, freed of their bran and germ, are best kept in airtight wrappings or containers in a cool, dry area free of rodents, insects, and other pests.
Cooked whole grains can be frozen for future use if they are tightly wrapped or placed in airtight containers
Whole grains should be refrigerated in airtight containers to retard rancidity
Usually, only whole or cooked grains are refrigerated.

20. Pastas Ingredients Flour Egg yolks Enriched Specialty ingredients
It is the protein in durum wheat flour that gives pasta its elasticity and helps it maintain its shape during cooking.
Durum wheat is also higher in carotenoid pigments, which contribute to pasta’s rich, golden color.
Pasta made from whole-wheat flour is slightly higher in nutrients and fiber than standard pasta, but it has a tougher texture and stronger taste.
Also, many pastas contain egg yolks, which further enhances their yellow color.
Most pasta manufactured in North America is enriched with several B vitamins and iron.
Vegetable purées made from spinach, tomatoes, or beets can be added to pasta to alter its color and flavor.

21. Pastas
Pasta, or “alimentary (nourishing) paste,” is made by combining water with semolina flour and/or farina.
If eggs are added (at least 5.5% egg by weight), the pasta product is referred to as “noodles.”
Asian noodles may be made from:
Rice
Mung bean
Taro
Yam
Corn
Buckwheat
Potato
…flours.

22. Pastas
Types of Pasta
Pasta is formed by placing the freshly made pasta dough in a cylinder and forcing it through holes in small discs (dies).
The type of disc used determines what kind of pasta is produced.
There are over 600 pasta shapes now in existence, but only about 150 are available in North America.
Unusual shapes such as dinosaurs and turtles have been developed to appeal to youthful consumers.

23. Pastas
High-protein pasta products that contain % more protein than standard pasta.
Fresh pasta, found in the refrigerated section, has a higher moisture content, which gives it a softer consistency.
Couscous looks like a grain, but it is actually “Moroccan pasta” made from semolina that has been cooked, dried, and pulverized into small, rough particles the size of rice grains.

24. Preparation of Pasta Moist-Heat Preparation
Pasta is easy to prepare by boiling or simmering.
During heating, the majority of pastas expand to two or three times their original size.
Al dente: Meaning “to the tooth” in Italian, it refers to pasta that is tender, yet firm enough to offer some resistance to the teeth.
Properly prepared pasta is not excessively sticky, and once it is done, it is drained and ready to serve.

26. Storage of Pasta
Dried pasta should be tightly wrapped and stored in a cool, dry place.
Fresh pasta should be kept in the refrigerator until the “use by” date.
Cooked pasta will keep for two to three days in the refrigerator.
Fresh pasta should be kept in the refrigerator until the “use by” date.
It will be at its best for about a week and will keep in the freezer for about a month.