Chapter 7 – Rye: Grain-Quality Characteristics and Management of Quality Requirements

Rye is an important crop in regions where rye breads are popular, especially in Poland, Germany, Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. However, world rye production is only about 3% that of wheat. Traditional rye bread is made exclusively from rye flour or rye wholemeal, but rye bread is more often made from a grist of wheat and rye flours, because of the need for wheat gluten to compensate for the weakness of rye gluten. Nevertheless, the analytical and management procedures for rye are similar to those for wheat. Nutritionally, the thick cell walls of rye aleurone and endosperm cells are a rich source of fibre, including pentosans and β-glucan.