Wheat Bran

The wheat kernel has three functional parts: the endosperm, the germ, and the bran. Bran is the outer protective covering, made up of several distinct layers. Because the mill’s objective is to recover endosperm as flour, the bran fraction is separated and collected — how much endosperm remains attached to it depends on the mill and the extraction rate chosen.

• Animal feed — a widely used fibre and energy source in compound feeds
• Food — as a fibre ingredient in breakfast cereals, breads, and other foods
• Blended mill streams — sold in combination with other fractions as wheat feed

Because bran concentrates the kernel’s outer layers, it also concentrates anything carried on or near the kernel surface. That makes the soundness and cleanliness of the incoming grain, and the mill’s cleaning, directly relevant to the quality of the bran stream.

Bran is bulky and low in density relative to flour, which affects storage volume and transport economics. It takes up moisture readily and, because it carries oil-bearing material from the outer kernel, its keeping quality is shorter than that of white flour. It is handled in bulk and in bags, and is commonly pelleted to improve handling and density.