grinding

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grinding

food processing

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June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

Grinding is a food processing technique that reduces solid materials into smaller particles or powder. This is achieved through friction, pounding, or crushing. Historically, devices like the mortar and pestle were used for grinding grains, pastes, and medicines.1

In modern food processing, particularly in the milling of wheat, grinding is a crucial step. It involves using specialized machinery, such as grooved steel cylinders or smooth steel rolls, to gradually break down the grain. The primary goal is to separate the starchy endosperm from the outer bran layers and the germ. This process allows for the production of various grades of flour used in baking and other food products. Grinding can also be applied to other food items, like coffee beans, to achieve desired textures and flavors.23

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cereal processing
Milling
…procedure is milling—that is, the grinding of the grain so that it can be easily cooked and rendered into an attractive foodstuff. Cereals usually are not eaten raw, but different kinds of milling (dry and wet) are employed, depending on the cereal itself and on the eating customs of the…
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…procedure is milling—that is, the grinding of the grain so that it can be easily cooked and rendered into an attractive foodstuff. Cereals usually are not eaten raw, but different kinds of milling (dry and wet) are employed, depending on the cereal itself and on the eating customs of the…
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cocoa
Cleaning, roasting, and grinding
…are in turn broken by grinding, releasing the fat, or cocoa butter, and forming a paste called chocolate liquor, or cocoa mass. If alkalized (Dutched) chocolate liquor is to be produced, the cocoa beans may be winnowed raw; the raw nibs will be alkalized and then roasted prior to grinding.
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…are in turn broken by grinding, releasing the fat, or cocoa butter, and forming a paste called chocolate liquor, or cocoa mass. If alkalized (Dutched) chocolate liquor is to be produced, the cocoa beans may be winnowed raw; the raw nibs will be alkalized and then roasted prior to grinding.
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coffee
Grinding
Some coffees are left as whole beans to be ground at the time of purchase or by the consumer at home. Much coffee, however, is ground, or milled, by the manufacturer immediately after roasting. In most modern roasting plants, grinding is accomplished by feeding…
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Some coffees are left as whole beans to be ground at the time of purchase or by the consumer at home. Much coffee, however, is ground, or milled, by the manufacturer immediately after roasting. In most modern roasting plants, grinding is accomplished by feeding…
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poultry processing
Deboning and grinding
Further processed poultry products leave the backs, necks, and bones available for their own processing. These materials are run through a machine called a mechanical deboner or a meat-bone separator. In general, the crushed meat and bones are continuously pressed against a screen and…
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Further processed poultry products leave the backs, necks, and bones available for their own processing. These materials are run through a machine called a mechanical deboner or a meat-bone separator. In general, the crushed meat and bones are continuously pressed against a screen and…
Read More

cereal processing
Milling
The first step in grinding for the gradual reduction process is performed between steel cylinders, with grooved surfaces, working at differential speeds. The wheat is directed between the first “break,” or set of rolls, and is partially torn open. There is little actual grinding at this stage. The “chop,”…
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The first step in grinding for the gradual reduction process is performed between steel cylinders, with grooved surfaces, working at differential speeds. The wheat is directed between the first “break,” or set of rolls, and is partially torn open. There is little actual grinding at this stage. The “chop,”…
Read More