Contaminants

UK flour millers are committed to and take pride in producing safe wholesome flour from wheat. As the crop is grown in open fields, care has to be taken to ensure that no contaminants can come through to affect flour.  The chain adopts a rigorous hazard control (HACCP) system which focuses on wheat as, logically, if there is no concern with wheat then any problem with flour will also be avoided.  A number of measures are employed:

• nabim members purchase UK wheat only from farms belonging to recognised assurance schemes, where farmers have adopted best practice and keep records of all agrochemicals applied to the crop as well as ensuring store cleanliness and monitoring stored grain. Farms registered under assurance schemes have to use operatives trained and certified in the correct application of pesticides, and comprehensive records are kept of products used and conditions at the time of application. Farm assurance also enables millers to trace the wheat back to the farm.

• Millers inspect all wheat deliveries for physical signs of any food safety hazard.  Consignments which do not conform are rejected.

• Millers require a pesticide passport accompanying each consignment of grain delivered to the mill which:
  -provides millers with information about the ‘pesticide history’ of the grain;
  -lists post-harvest pesticide usage;
  -helps to ensure that crops are not treated twice and that best practice is adhered to with respect to time between structural treatment and grain storage.

• The chain undertakes an annual survey to check for the presence of possible contaminants including pesticides, heavy metals and mycotoxins.

• nabim undertakes an annual survey to monitor microbiology in flour from new crop wheat as this can vary from year to year depending on weather conditions at harvest time.

• Millers have sophisticated systems for cleaning grain and removing impurities prior to milling as well as ensuring that the resulting flour remains free of contaminants.  Mills are subject to inspection by independent auditors, for example using the British Retail Consortium standard.