The National Milling  Com-pany has launched  whole wheat  flour,  multigrain flour and toasted wheat germ as  part of their ‘Maid Marian Range’  in  a  ‘health line’ of  three new products.

The company said in a news release that many consumers are only familiar with white flour which is produced by removing over 25%  of the outer layer of the wheat grain and milling the remainder  but the outer layer comprises  an excellent source of essential nutrients and goes to animal feed.   As a result, the release added, NAMILCO  adds back the vitamins and minerals lost in the milling process to make white flour.

With more and more consumers becoming health conscious and with the increasing evidence of cardio vascular diseases, the release said,   the demand for foods high in fibre and containing  vital vitamins and minerals is increasing. NAMILCO says it has recognized this demand and rather than consumers paying high prices for imported supplements  and health foods,  it decided to offer this ‘Health Line”  of products at an affordable cost.

The release stated that  the company’s whole wheat flour  is made from all three parts of the wheat  grain – the bran, germ and endosperm.  This flour contains beneficial phytochemicals and antioxidants and is also a good source of B vitamins.

And the multigrain flour is a combination of wheat flour and eight types of grains  which give a hearty texture and wonderful taste to recipes, especially baked goods, while the toasted wheat germ is considered one of the top ten healthiest  foods to be included in one’s diet and can be used in many ways.

In addition to the three new products NAMILCO  also has another specialty  flour,  Italian Pesto Mix, which is a gourmet product that is ideal for making bread, sadha roti, savoury pastry dishes and pancakes, the release said.

The company also urged consumers to store all these newly-introduced flour products properly to keep them fresh, adding that an open packet should be kept in an airtight container preferably in the refrigerator.