Cereals processing technology

Introduction 3
his ultimate margin. Examples of this are to found all over the world, for
example, farmer co-operatives investing in flour milling plants in the USA.
• Professionals involved in primary processing, namely flour millers, maize
millers, breakfast cereal manufacturers, maltsters, etc. These people are
interested in keeping abreast of technological developments in their own and
other sectors. This should help the primary processor to assess his facilities
and design process improvements. The text may even help in the selection of
new plant.
• Secondary processors, namely bakers, industrial processors, brewers, etc.,
who have a significant interest in knowing of developments in their own and
upstream sectors. This is especially relevant in the light of consolidation
between primary and secondary processors.
• Educational and government establishments, who are looking for a text that
covers this brief to a significant level of detail.
It is hoped that this text will lead to a greater understanding of technological
developments both within particular sectors and across cereals processing as a
whole, encouraging the transfer of technology between sectors. Developments of
this nature will ultimately benefit the processor and consumer through better
products and more efficient processing.
Finally, I would like to thank the contributors to this work. It is a long and
difficult path from the point at which an invitation to contribute is accepted and
seeing the completed work in print. I am indebted to the contributors for their
sterling work.