Many bakers simply assume that all flour is the same. But all flour is not created equal—from the grain it's milled from to the way it's processed to its protein content, flour varies in many ways. At King Arthur, our mission is to provide the highest quality flour to help you cook your best. Here's what it means.
Never bleached, never brominated and non-GMO
Our wheat flours (except whole wheat), such asall purpose flour, cake flourANDself rising flour, are aged naturally after grinding for about two to four weeks, during which time they slowly oxidize and whiten themselves. This is unbleached flour and this is how King Arthur makes all our white flours.
However, many other brands of flour use chemical treatments to manually speed up this process, including adding bleach and potassium bromate. The latter has come under particular scrutiny as tests have shown it to be carcinogenic in animals and possibly humans. (Learn more: Bleached and Unbleached Flour: What's the Difference?)
In addition to containing no artificial bleaches, bromates, or preservatives, all King Arthur flour is also third-party certified non-GMO.
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Sustainable protein content – and beyond
Protein percentage is one of the most important variables in all purpose flour and bread flour. It primarily refers to the two gluten-forming proteins found in flour, glutenin and gliadin. Because these proteins form gluten, then the more protein in the flour – that is, the higher its protein content – the more gluten-forming potential the flour has. Another way to think about it: the higher the protein content, the “stronger” the flour. (Learn more: Protein percentage in flour: Why it matters.)
Protein percentage can have a huge impact on your baked goods, so it's an important variable in baking. Unfortunately, some flour brands allow for large fluctuations in their protein content, so each time you use a new bag of flour, you'll get slightly different results. King Arthur flour, however, is milled to the strictest specifications in the industry. We guarantee that the protein percentage printed on the front of the bag will always match the flour inside.
However, this is not the only factor in flour. We also set strict standards for variables such as ash content, moisture levels, grain quality and more, and constantly test to ensure our flour meets these specifications. Baking with flour that has uniform standards will give you the best and most consistent results at home, so you won't waste time or ingredients – just lots of delicious baked goods.
Jen Bakos
Tested by bakers, for bakers
We set the strictest standards in the industry to test all of our stuff signature flour. This includes extensive testing of the baker – because one of the most important elements of flour is that it bakes well! Our Research and Development team regularly carry out baking tests with our flour to ensure it is maintaining our high standards and will be consistent.
Throughout the year, they double check the flour from our partner mills to make sure every bag comes out just right. This involves a simple but very effective test called the flour slide which involves the hydration of the flour to examine the milling quality, colour, quantity and shape of the bran and how well the starch absorbs water.
They also perform a baking test. This involves producing pieces of basic white sandwich bread to judge how well the flour performs in baking, evaluating performance such as bread height, crumb texture, smell and of course taste. (Learn more about our toaster test: Meet Frank, King Arthur's chief flour cop.)
Milled from premium American wheat
Farmers are the backbone of everything we do. Without farmers, there is no wheat, and without wheat, there is no flour. We are committed to sourcing our wheat entirely from American farms and helping to grow a strong and sustainable agricultural economy.
We also believe we have a responsibility both to the farmers we work with and to the planet. That's why some of our flours – including ours White whole wheat flour with stones and ours Climatic flour mixture – are milled from wheat grown using regenerative practices. This type of agriculture seeks to restore, renew, and enhance natural resources through a variety of practices that focus on healthy soils, ecosystems, and farming communities. one time.
After all, every bag of King Arthur flour comes with a guarantee of quality and durability. We're here to ensure you bake your best, and that starts with providing the best flour. What are you going to do with it?
Increase your flour IQ:
