WHEAT, flour, 50kg, bag
Valid Article
OC subscriptions: included in supply or field order tools (e.g. UniField)
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SC subscriptions: included in supply or field tools
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OC validations: approved for procurement and use by an OC for international or local orders specifying context and activity in Medical Standard Lists (MSL)
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WHEAT
Definition
Wheat (Triticum spp.) is an annual plant of the grass family Poaceae, grown in many countries.
Wheat grain is a staple food used as flour to make breads, cookies, cakes, pasta and couscous, and for the fermentation (beer, alcohol, or bio-fuel).
Specifications
Wheat is composed of common wheat grains, Triticum aestivum L., or club wheat grains, Triticum compactum Host. (not to be confused with durum wheat composed of grains from the species Triticum durum Desf.).
Wheat flour is prepared from grain of common wheat or club wheat, or mixtures thereof, by grinding or milling processes in which the bran and germ are partly removed and the remainder is comminuted to a suitable degree of fineness.
Type 55 flour is the most commonly used. It corresponds to an extraction rate of approximately 72%. The number 55 indicates that the ash residue (mineral content calculated on dry matter) is between 0.5% and 0.6%. The higher the grade, the cruder the flour (e.g. type 85 or type 125).
MSF recommends to use the type 55 flour for its availability, its wide usage habit and its good life span under normal storage conditons.
Technical specifications
These specifications apply to wheat grain and wheat flour (not durum wheat).
| Quality factors | Grain | Flour |
| Moisture content | < 14% | < 14% |
| Zeleny index 1 | > 25 | > 25 |
| Hagberg falling number 2 | > 220 | > 220 including prep. (agitation 60 s) |
| Proteins (on dry matter) | > 11.5% (N x 5.7) | > 10.5% (N x 6.25) |
| Specific weight | > 68kg/hl | N/A |
| Ash | N/A | <0.6% |
| Impurities of animal origin (dead insects...) | < 0.1% | < 0.1% |
| Mineral particles (sand...) | < 0.5% | < 0.5% |
| Living insects | none | none |
| Other foreign matter (seeds, stems...) | < 1.5% | N/A |
Defect grains:
| < 10% < 3% < 2.5% < 1.5% | N/A |
1 The Hagberg test measures the starch quality
2 The Zeleny test measures the proteins quality
| Microbiology & contaminants | Grain | Flour |
| Salmonella | none in 25g | none in 25g |
| Toxic/harmful grain | < 0.1% | N/A |
| Ergot | < 0.05% | N/A |
| Ochratoxine | < 5 ppb | < 3 ppb |
| Deoxynivalenol (vomitoxine) | < 1250 ppb | < 750 ppb |
| Total aflatoxins | < 4 ppb | < 4 ppb |
Wheat grains should be from the most recent harvest, and their origin should be clearly indicated (supported by original certificate of origin).
They should be "sound and market quality" and "fit for human consumption".
A fumigation certificate dated within last 15 days must be presented upon receipt.
Packaging & Labelling
Net weight: 25 kg /50 kg (only 25 kg for flour)
All bags must be clean, dry and firmly sewn.
Recycled bags are not allowed.
- Either highest quality (minimum 85g/m2) polypropylene (PP) new bag with double stitching at the top and bottom
- Or burlap bag
The bag may be lined with a polypropylene bag with the top edges of the bags sewn together.
Printing with ink approved for food contact (size of the letters: 20 mm minimum). The marking must remain readable after minimum 10 handlings.
- Batch number composed of: supplier's initials/year/field dispatch code/order n° (ex: MAVI/08/NG01MFR/015)
- MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES
- Type of product
- Net weight of the bag
- Crop year
- For milled grains: milling date + best-before date (BBD)
Instructions for use
Preparation
Wheat can be distributed in whole grains or as flour.
Milling should be processed only when the distribution date is known to avoid long storage times (milled products are more sensitive).
Storage
Wheat grains can be stored for a long period of time in good storage conditions (frequent controls and fumigation).
Flours become quickly rancid and acidic and they are very sensitive to biological contamination; storage time must not exceed few weeks.
STORAGE
Follow the procedure QA-NFOS-SOP2 "Storage and stock management of food".
Preparing for storage
- Staple foods should be stored separately from therapeutic foods to prevent any risk of crosscontamination.
- Warehouses (walls, floor, etc.) should be given preventive treatment against insects and rodents before warehousing.
- It is essential to check that the roof is watertight before the rainy season.
Storage organization
- On pallets arranged in 6 to 8 pallet islands
- Islands at least 1 m apart
- At least 0.5 m from the walls
- No more than 2 m high
Inventory monitoring
- PREVENTION
- Given storage conditions in the field, it is recommended not storing for more than 6 months
- Spraying of insecticide (CWATIIRSSC-) should be repeated every 8 to 12 weeks, when stocks are empty
- Warehouse ventilation should be controlled to minimize ambient humidity
- Inventory should be regularly organized (every 2 weeks), randomly testing bags to check for infestation and inspecting warehouse to monitor anti-insect and anti-rodent prevention measures
- TREATMENT
In case of infestation, bagged wheat may be fumigated by a certified company (often with phosphine or "phostoxin"). Require a fumigation certificate.
Procedures for Quality Control
- Control upon receipt (quantity/quality): Use and fill the "check list for the control upon receipt": NSFOCRECOOE (English) / NSFOCRECOOF (French).
- In case of purchase of big quantity, make an inspection company (SGS, Cotecna, Véritas, FAIDEX, etc.) perform an inspection before loading. Use and fill the "Inspection contract" ref. NSFOINSPWHF (French) / NSFOINSPWHE (English).
- Control in case of suspicion (sending to a laboratory): use the analysis request form NSFOANALWHF (French) / NSFOANALWHE (English).