Glossary of the wheat–flour–bread industry
W, P/L, Falling Number, Alveograph, tolerance… The terms our technicians use, explained simply.
- W (baking strength)
An index that measures a flour's strength: its ability to withstand mixing and hold gas during fermentation.
Read the full definition →- P/L (tenacity/extensibility ratio)
The ratio between a dough's tenacity (P) and extensibility (L). It describes whether the flour is tight or slack.
Read the full definition →- Falling Number (Hagberg)
A measure of a flour's amylase activity — its capacity to break starch down into sugars during bread-making.
Read the full definition →- Chopin Alveograph
The reference instrument in milling that measures the mechanical properties of a dough: it provides the W, the P, the L and the P/L.
Read the full definition →- Tolerance
A dough's ability to absorb process variation (mixing, bulk fermentation, proof, waiting) without losing its qualities.
Read the full definition →- Machinability
A dough's ability to pass through equipment (divider, moulder, sheeter) without sticking or tearing.
Read the full definition →- Bakery enzymes
Proteins that catalyse reactions in the dough (starch, gluten, lipids) to improve volume, colour, softness and shelf life.
Read the full definition →- Amylase
An enzyme that cuts starch chains into simple sugars. It feeds the fermentation and colours the crust.
Read the full definition →- Bread improver
A technical blend added to flour (0.3% to 1.2%) to secure the volume, tolerance, machinability and consistency of the bread.
Read the full definition →- Flour corrector (mill corrector)
A formulation added at the mill to standardise flour: adjusting the W, the P/L and the Falling Number from one batch to the next.
Read the full definition →- Trial baking
A test bake under controlled conditions to validate a flour or an improver dosage before rollout.
Read the full definition →- Protein Content
Percentage of protein in flour (mainly glutenins and gliadins). A simple indicator, correlated — but not equivalent — to strength.
Read the full definition →- Gluten Index
A measure of gluten quality: the proportion of gluten that resists centrifugation through a sieve, expressed as a percentage.
Read the full definition →- Ash Content
Mass of mineral residue after incinerating the flour, as a percentage. It reflects the extraction rate and the flour type.
Read the full definition →- Water Absorption
The amount of water a flour can hold to reach a standard dough consistency, as a percentage of flour weight. Measured on the Farinograph.
Read the full definition →- Farinograph
An instrument that mixes a dough and draws a farinogram: Water Absorption, development time, stability and weakening.
Read the full definition →- Staling
Hardening and loss of crumb freshness after baking, due mainly to starch recrystallisation (retrogradation).
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Have your flour analysed
Our laboratory measures the W, the P/L and the Falling Number of your flour and proposes a correction, with comparative trial baking.
Learn more: reference rheological values · technical blog (FR) · our correctors & improvers
W, P/L, Hagberg: frequently asked questions
The W is the deformation work of a dough measured on the Chopin Alveograph: the higher it is, the stronger the flour (it resists mixing and holds fermentation gas). Morocco benchmarks: W 90–130 biscuit-making, W 160–220 everyday bread, W 280–350 viennoiserie and frozen dough.