How long is wheat good for after harvest?
I'm not sure if I am asking this in the right place.
I am wondering, if winter wheat is harvested from mid-May to mid-July, and spring wheat is harvested from mid-August to mid-September, then how long is it good for before it gets milled?
Best Answer
I can give you the traditional aproach my local mill uses:
Harvest season is just a few weeks per year. The mill will during that time buy the amount of grain they need for one year - from harvest to harvest. The grain gets sorted, tested, dried and cleaned if necessary, and is then put into storage.
During the year, it gets milled. The two factors here are capacity and demand. A mill works year-round, it makes no sense to let the machines stand idle for a long time. So there is a maximum capacity they can process per year - and a good management won't buy more. Also, there are times of higher demand (think holiday baking) which need more flour to be milled in advance. The grain should rest for a few weeks after harvest for better quality. I'm no scientist, but I trust my miller on this.
A good mill will strive to sell the flour as soon as possible after it is milled, partly for economic, but mostly for quality reasons. While especially white flour won't spoil for months (recommended: one year), darker or especially whole grain flours get rancid quickly and quality decreases. (E.g. changes in taste and moisture content and enzymatic degradation which influence the baking process and results.)
The whole grains on the other hand can easily be stored for well over a year, multiple years in fact.
Big industrial mills work in a similar way, just on a way larger scale and the flour has a longer time from mill via stores to the customer.
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Shelf Life A good rule of thumb is to rotate wheat so that no stored product is older than 5 years.How long does fresh wheat last?
In general, follow these rules of thumb: Whole Intact Grains: The shelf life of whole intact grains, like wheat berries or brown rice, is a bit longer than \ufb02ours. If stored properly in airtight containers, intact grains will keep for up to 6 months on a cool, dry pantry shelf or up to a year in the freezer.How do you store wheat after harvesting?
Freshly harvested wheat should be dried to a moisture content of 12.5 percent for storage or 13.5 percent for im- mediate sale. High-moisture wheat (greater than 15 per- cent moisture) can be dried with both high-speed and bin drying equipment.How do I know if my wheat is still good?
They will smell slightly sweet or have no smell. Avoid berries that smell moldy, musty, or rancid or have off-colors or dark spots. Wheat berries can also go a little stale; they should taste nutty and slightly sweet, not bitter or metallic.How long can grain be stored?
The shelf life of a grain largely depends on the type you purchase and how you store it. Most grains will remain fresh for 6 months, with some having a shelf life of over a year when kept properly. While different grains have different requirements for storage, most grains are best kept in a cool, dry and dark place.A Guide to... When should YOU harvest? (Ready to harvest!). Farming Simulator 19, PS4, Assistance!
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