Wholemeal flour

Under the Czech Decree 18/2020, wholemeal flour is made by grinding the whole grain or by milling its parts, and it contains endosperm, bran and germ in the same proportions as the original grain. The Austrian Codex explicitly allows separated parts to be recombined in their natural ratio and a small part of the outer bran layer (pericarp) – about 2 % as a guide – to be scoured off to remove contaminants. Czech graham flour is wholemeal wheat flour, or flour from grain with only the germ removed.

Because it contains the outer layers, it has the most ash: the Czech decree allows at most 1.90 % in dry matter, Italian farina integrale has 1.30–1.70 %. In Germany wholemeal flour is given no type number, because its mineral content varies with the origin of the grain.

The germ contains oil that can turn rancid, so wholemeal flour keeps less well than white. Wholemeal bread must contain at least 80 % wholemeal flours in the Czech Republic and at least 90 % wholegrain products in Germany.