Image courtesy of U.S. Wheat Associates.
In early October, U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) sent two key staff members – Arantza Quintero, technical specialist in the USW Mexico City Office, and Catherine Miller, director of programs in the USW Headquarters Office – to a new training program at Purdue University. The Wheat Quality Masterclass is the brainchild of Senay Simsek, department head and Dean’s Chair in food science, who has spent years developing the widely popular Wheat Quality Handbook.
The handbook is shared as a resource during USW technical training programs like the NCI Grain Procurement Management for Importers short course at the Northern Crops Institute and the School of Wheat Quality in South and Southeast Asia. The program at home in Indiana is the first time Simsek has put this information into a stand-alone course offering.
Guided by Simsek, the program began with a deep dive into the fundamentals – wheat structure, chemistry and kernel quality parameters – spanning all six classes of U.S. wheat. Morning sessions started with lectures, which seamlessly transitioned into discussions about wheat diseases, milling techniques and the intricacies of flour and dough functionality. Cutting-edge evaluation methods were introduced.
From Handbook to Hands-On Training
But the real magic happened during the breakout sessions in the afternoon. Attendees rolled up their sleeves and performed flour and dough testing, baking trials and ingredient functionality assessments.
As the course progressed, emerging trends took center stage. Nutritional aspects, food safety at the mill and evolving consumer preferences were explored, highlighting the dynamic nature of the wheat industry.
The masterclass’ impact was immediate. One participant from the U.S. milling industry even decided to change their Solvent Retention Capacity (SRC) method based on what they learned in the course.
“Dr. Simsek is so knowledgeable, especially in the realm of quality,” the participant noted. “She never shies away from emphasizing the importance of utilizing high-quality wheat to create high-quality end products. She has developed hours of curriculum, and it was exciting to get a peak into the brains behind this fantastic program.”
Overall, the masterclass was not only educational, but also relevant to USW’s work. Combining expert-led instruction with hands-on learning not only deepened participants’ understanding of the importance and value of wheat quality, but also helped to increase understanding of quality parameters and testing methodologies that are used regularly in the industry.
New course offerings like this one add to the options USW staff overseas can promote to global customers in an increasingly competitive global wheat market, helping them improve their operations and recognize the advantages that U.S. wheat delivers to millers and bakers.
Read more from U.S. Wheat Associates here.