Final harvest information 2024

Final harvest information 2024

With the transition to the new 2024 harvest largely completed, with a few exceptions like biscuit flour, we can provide an overview of the quality characteristics of wheat, flour, rye, and bakery products.

Characteristics of wheat and flour:
No issues were found with DON molds or ergot in wheat and flour. The falling numbers are on average slightly higher than usual, with a value of about 385 seconds. This has led us to slightly increase the amount of active malt in some recipes to balance the ripening.

We also see a slight increase in ash content, ranging from 0 to 0.03%, indicating a slightly higher mineral content.

Regarding water absorption, the values are largely comparable to the previous harvest, although occasionally there is a slight increase of 0 to 1%.

The workability of the dough types remains good, thanks to the supple proteins that support dough structure. The development of the dough is generally similar to last year, sometimes even a bit faster, improving process efficiency.

For whole grain products, a relatively high kneading energy is still required. The dough tolerance remains good, and the final product volume is comparable to the previous harvest, indicating stable quality in the final product.

Characteristics of rye:
Regarding rye, we also observe good quality, with falling numbers above 200 seconds and a slight increase in viscosity compared to the previous harvest. If necessary, we adjust the viscosity by adding active malt to ensure consistency. The water-binding capacity for rye has remained unchanged compared to previous years, contributing to a stable processing process.

Characteristics of pastry, puff pastry, cake, shortcrust, and sandwich bread:
Finally, in the category of pastries, yeast doughs, cakes, crusts, and casings, we observe a slight increase in dough suppleness, which can positively contribute to workability. Furthermore, there are no significant changes in these areas compared to previous harvests.

With these harvest characteristics, the raw material quality remains consistently high, ensuring reliable results in processing and in the final product.