Primary Processing Of Cereals, Pulses And Oilseeds
Both cereals and pulses are nutritionally important, since both together constitute the staple foods for the population. They are also a relatively cheap source of energy, protein and important vitamins and minerals. All food grains need some kind of processing for bringing them to a palatable state and for their efficient and economic utilization. This is due to the fact that grains contain an outer protective cover of fibrous husk/bran layer.
Cereal grains like rice and maize also contain oil rich bran/germ, which are of high economic value, but are undesirable for the purpose of storage. Separation of these parts from the grains is generally referred to as primary processing and is a prerequisite to make them more palatable and safe for storage. The process of preparing certain products like flour, semolina, flakes and popped grains is referred to as secondary processing. Tertiary processing further processes these to provide variety in product making and to meet the growing demands for ready-to-eat or ready-to- use products.