Wheat middlings (also known as millfeed, wheat mill run, or wheat midds) are the product of the

wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...

milling process that is not

flour Flour is a powder made by grinding raw grains, roots, beans, nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods. Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many culture ...

. A good source of

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...

fiber Fiber or fibre (from la, fibra, links=no) is a natural or artificial substance that is significantly longer than it is wide. Fibers are often used in the manufacture of other materials. The strongest engineering materials often incorporate ...

phosphorus Phosphorus is a chemical element with the symbol P and atomic number 15. Elemental phosphorus exists in two major forms, white phosphorus and red phosphorus, but because it is highly reactive, phosphorus is never found as a free element on Ear ...

, and other nutrients, they are a useful

fodder Fodder (), also called provender (), is any agriculture, agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock, such as cattle, domestic rabbit, rabbits, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. "Fodder" refers particularly to food g ...

for

livestock Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animals ...

and pets. They are also being researched for use as a biofuel.

Production

White flour is made entirely from the

endosperm The endosperm is a tissue produced inside the seeds of most of the flowering plants following double fertilization. It is triploid (meaning three chromosome sets per nucleus) in most species, which may be auxin-driven. It surrounds the embryo and ...

or protein/starchy part of the grain (the grass fruit), leaving behind the

germ Germ or germs may refer to: Science * Germ (microorganism), an informal word for a pathogen * Germ cell, cell that gives rise to the gametes of an organism that reproduces sexually * Germ layer, a primary layer of cells that forms during embry ...

or protein/fat/vitamin-rich part and the

bran Bran, also known as miller's bran, is the hard outer layers of Cereal, cereal grain. It consists of the combined aleurone and pericarp. Corn (maize) bran also includes the pedicel (tip cap). Along with cereal germ, germ, it is an integral pa ...

part. Wheat middlings comprise different fractions separated from these byproducts. In addition to marketing the bran and germ as products in their own right, middlings include shorts (making up approximately 12% of the original grain, consisting of fractions of endosperm, bran, and germ with an average particle size of 500-900

micron The micrometre ( international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American spelling), also commonly known as a micron, is a unit of length in the International System of Unit ...

s) and red dog (actually a low-grade flour, making up approximately 3% of the original grain, consisting of fractions of endosperm and bran, with an average particle size of 100-300 microns). The middlings include those portions of the wheat kernel that are richest in proteins, vitamins, lipids and minerals. For example, highly refined patent flour may contain only 10 to 12% of the total

thiamine Thiamine, also known as thiamin and vitamin B1, is a vitamin, an essential micronutrient, that cannot be made in the body. It is found in food and commercially synthesized to be a dietary supplement or medication. Phosphorylated forms of thi ...

and

niacin Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid, is an organic compound and a form of vitamin B3, an essential human nutrient. It can be manufactured by plants and animals from the amino acid tryptophan. Niacin is obtained in the diet from a variet ...

, 20% of the

, and 50% of the

calcium Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar to ...

of the parent grain.

Classification inconsistencies

The term is somewhat imprecise, as it does not take into account the various mill streams and proportions that are combined and ultimately constitute the product's final composition. As a consequence of this inconsistent terminology, difficulties are encountered when ascertaining nutritional value and establishing economic worth. Wheat midds are sometimes referred to negatively as "floor sweepings" although such products are generally captured long before they would end up on the floor.

Nonhuman consumption

When used in feed for livestock or

horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million y ...

s, middlings can be a good source of

, phosphorus, and other nutrients. Flour milling products arising from a fairly homogeneous parent grain can vary greatly depending on the objectives of the milling process. Thus, the degree of nutrient variation in wheat midds can be a major consideration in determining whether its inclusion in a ration or formula feed is beneficial.Wheat Middlings Composition, Feeding Value, and Storage Guidelines
/ref> It has 96% of the energy value of

barley Barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Globally 70% of barley pr ...

and 91% of the energy value of

corn Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Th ...

.Ingredients101
/ref> It is also used as an inexpensive filler for food for pets such as dogs and cats, who do not digest wheat products as readily.

Fuels research

Due to its high energy content and low price, wheat middlings is being researched as a

biofuel Biofuel is a fuel that is produced over a short time span from biomass, rather than by the very slow natural processes involved in the formation of fossil fuels, such as oil. According to the United States Energy Information Administration (E ...

.Ohio State University
/ref>

Nutrition

Sources

{{Wheat Pet foods *Mid cereals