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Which is the difference between 0 flour and 00 flour? According to the Italian regulations, flours are classified on the basis of their percentage ash content, which is directly related to the more or less high presence of fibres, the closest part to the bran layer. This classification divides flours into type 0 flour, type 00 flour, type 1 flour, type 2 flour and wholemeal flour.
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FAQ
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Which is the difference between 0 flour and 00 flour?
According to the Italian regulations, flours are classified on the basis of their percentage ash content, which is directly related to the more or less high presence of fibres, the closest part to the bran layer.
This classification divides flours into type 0 flour, type 00 flour, type 1 flour, type 2 flour and wholemeal flour. The finest and whitest flours (with a lower sifting rate and ash content), corresponding to the type 00 and 0 flours of the Italian classification, are obtained from the inner part of grains, contain more starch but less proteins in comparison to the coarsest ones (type 1 or 2), but favour the reproduction of yeasts and the development of gluten.
A higher sifting rate (type 1 and 2 flours) corresponds to flours richer in minerals. The difference between type 0 flour and type 00 flour is very small, due to the fact that the admitted ash percentage for the first one is < 0.55%, while for the second one is between 0.55% and 0.65%.
Generally speaking, it would be preferable to eat foods with more fibres, and therefore the use of a type 0 flour. However, some processing requires a type of flour with the highest purity possible, i.e. with a very low ash content. This is the case of fresh pasta, whose sheet of pastry must not show any dot or shadow. For these applications, therefore, it is preferable to use type 00 flour.
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« Is it preferable to use “strong” flours, i.e. those that are richer in proteins? | When talking about flour characteristics, the W and P/L indexes are often used. What do they indicate? »
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