Omaha, Neb. – The next thing in flour is here. Ultragrain High Performance (HP), the cutting-edge addition to the Ultragrain family of flours, offers unprecedented whole wheat baking advantages like vital wheat gluten reduction, higher absorption and improved mixing performance resulting in lower finished goods costs for bakeries.
"Continuing to build on the strengths and innovation of Ultragrain, ConAgra Mills now is able to offer the baking industry the opportunity to reduce the cost of their whole wheat breads and increase operational flexibility, while providing their customers with the white flour appeal of Ultragrain," said Bill Stoufer, president of ConAgra Mills. Our new Ultragrain HP flour has phenomenal gluten strength and is unmatched by any whole wheat flour in the market regardless of the protein level of the comparison flour. For example, Ultragrain HP at 12 percent will provide greater loaf volume than whole wheat flour made from red spring wheat at 14 percent protein or higher. This is game changing because now, with our High Performance™ products like Ultragrain HP, flour performance and price are not tied to protein level."
Ultragrain HP flour begins with a unique wheat variety that has extraordinary gluten strength and performance properties. Named for one of the highest white-capped peaks in Colorado, Snowmass™ is grown in Colorado exclusively by farmers who participate in the Ultragrain Premium Program. Snowmass is then ground to Ultragrain's patented specifications, transforming it into Ultragrain HP whole wheat flour. This combination of special wheat and patented milling results in an all-natural flour that tackles some of the most pressing costs and operational issues in baking today.
Ultragrain HP is a unique whole wheat flour that:
- Reduces added gluten requirements often by 50 percent or more. Because Ultragrain HP's gluten is naturally stronger than other varieties of whole wheat flour, it allows bakers to reduce the percentage of vital wheat gluten they add to formulations, lowering costs while improving baking performance, finished-product volume, and yield.
- Absorbs 3-4 percent more than traditional whole wheat and 8-12 percent more than refined flour. Laboratory and commercial tests indicate that Ultragrain HP utilizes water more effectively than other whole wheat flours, reducing costs and improving texture.
- Has a greater mix tolerance. The superior gluten creates a bigger mixing window for optimum dough development.
- Makes cleaner labels possible. Whole wheat breads made with Ultragrain HP may not require vital wheat gluten, oxidants or dough conditioners, resulting in a cleaner ingredient list.
"Ultragrain HP is one-of-a-kind whole wheat flour that provides unique performance. It's unlike anything the bakery industry has ever worked with before. Ultragrain HP has phenomenal gluten strength and utilizes water more effectively than traditional whole wheat flour, so it has an expanded mixing tolerance and unprecedented rise and volume," says Glen Weaver, director of research, quality and innovation for ConAgra Mills. "Ultragrain HP's performance is so different that we work directly with customers to help them understand the functional differences that Ultragrain HP provides so that our customers receive the maximum benefit."
Ultragrain HP is ideal for any whole wheat bakery application that needs additional gluten strength or higher absorption, like pan breads, bagels, hearth breads, frozen dough, par baked breads, and hamburger and hot dog buns.
Ultragrain HP is currently only available to commercial bakeries that can accept bulk shipments, with general distribution coming in the near future. For more information contact your ConAgra Mills sales representative or call 800.851.9618.
About Ultragrain
Since its launch in 2004, Ultragrain brand flours have revolutionized the food industry, helping usher in an era of increased whole grain consumption and opening up brand new categories to benefits of whole grains. Today, there is an Ultragrain flour or blend available to help you add whole grain nutrition to any application. Visit www.conagramills.com to find out more about what ConAgra Mills has to offer.
About ConAgra Mills
ConAgra Mills is a food ingredients brand of ConAgra Foods, Inc. ConAgra Mills® offers the most comprehensive selection of premium multi-use flours and whole grains in the industry-including Ultragrain®, the 100 percent natural whole wheat flour with the taste, texture and appearance most like white flour, Sustagrain®, high-fiber barley and a line of ConAgra Mills Ancient Grain flours, which are helping to meet growing consumer demand for healthier ingredients. For more information, please visit www.conagramills.com.
Source: ConAgra Mills
