Cereal grains for human consumption

Cereal grains are the fruit of plants belonging to the grass family (Gramineae). Cereal grains provided about 80% of the calories and protein consumed by humans. Although some plant foods eaten by livestock, such as grasses and forages, are not suitable for human foods, grains and legumes most certainly are.

Major use for barley in North Africa is for human food, while most of the rest of the world, major purposes are feed and industrial uses. In case of oats, in Britain and Brazil, the largest proportion goes to human food. In many countries, including those close to Britain in Europe the major use is for feed.

In developing countries, maize is used for human consumption, while in the developed countries it is mainly for industrial use and animal feed.

Cereal grains have always been the dominant source of human food for several reasons. Cereals can be cultured under a wide range of environmental conditions e.g. soil types, moisture levels and temperatures and they yield large quantities of nutrient per unit of land area.

In addition, cereals have relatively low moisture content 13% - 15% at harvest and can be transported more efficiently than potatoes, cassava and other vegetables, which are about 80% water.

Cereal crops are energy dense, containing 10000 - 15000 kJ/kg about 10-20 times more energy than most succulent fruit and vegetables. Nutritionally, they are important sources of dietary protein, carbohydrates, the B complex of vitamins, vitamin E, iron, trace minerals and fiber.
Cereal grains for human consumption

Malting process

Malting is the limited germination of cereal grains or occasionally, the seeds of pulses (peas and beans), under controlled conditions. The starting and stopping of botanical growth is expertly timed by the maltster to achieve a minimum malting loss and maximum malt modification.

Sometime malt is used ‘green’ (undried), but it is usually used after drying in the sum or in a current of warm water. The three main steps of the malting process are steeping, germination and kilning. Final stage of malting process is kilning, enzyme activities decline as malt color and malt flavor develop.

This converts the endosperm of the grain into simple sugars which later be partially converted by fermentation into alcohol.

In the industrialized regions of the world, malt made from barley is by far the most important, but malts are, or have been, made from wheat, rye, oats, triticale, maize, sorghum, various millets and even rice.
Malting process