The Agricultural Product Processing Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture Takes Active Measures to Curb Excessive Grain Processing

According to this website  After the "Notice of the Ministry of Agriculture on Strengthening Grain Processing Loss Reduction" was issued, it aroused great attention from society. Most online media, including People's Daily Online, Xinhua Net, and the Central Government Website, reposted the information "Ministry of Agriculture Deploys Strengthening of Grain Processing Loss Reduction Work," while print media such as Farmers' Daily published a full-page report titled "Ministry of Agriculture Issues a “Ban” on Excessive Grain Processing." Wang Ruiyuan, Executive Vice Chairman of the Chinese Cereals and Oils Association, believes that the one-sided pursuit of overly refined, overly fine, overly white, and excessively refined finished grain and oil products in grain and oil processing, which causes a large loss of nutrients, reduced product yield, and a substantial increase in energy consumption, should prompt profound reflection in society; some experts suggest that grain and oil processing should develop in the direction of “improving purity, controlling precision, and moderate processing”; most experts believe that measures should be taken as soon as possible to effectively solve problems such as waste from excessive grain processing, and to ensure China's safe grain supply and effective supply.

It is understood that at present, excessive grain processing in China is mainly aimed at pursuing the “fine, precise, and white” appearance of products as well as good appearance and good taste. Multi-stage separation in wheat milling and multiple polishing in rice processing inevitably reduce product yield and cause a large loss of nutrients such as dietary fiber, active substances, and trace elements.

First, it has caused a large amount of grain loss. The national standard flour extraction rate for wheat standard flour is 85%, but some processing enterprises, in pursuit of bright white flour color, continuously increase milling precision, causing the wheat flour extraction rate to drop below 70%, resulting in 15% waste. The rice milling yield is 70%, but some processing enterprises, in order to improve whiteness and brightness, carry out fine milling through processes such as “multi-machine whitening” and “polishing,” with the rice milling yield being only 60%, and at the lowest only 50%. According to statistics from the China National Association of Grain Sector, about 20% of wheat and rice are processed into refined flour and refined rice each year, and excessive processing causes about 15 billion jin of grain loss.

Second, it has caused a large loss of nutrients. The nutrients contained in rice, such as protein, fat, sugar, minerals, B vitamins, and cellulose, are mostly concentrated in the germ and cortex. After three rounds of polishing, the germ layer and cortex all fall off, leaving only the endosperm in the whole grain, and the main nutrients are almost completely lost. The same situation exists in excessive flour processing. Long-term consumption of such high-precision rice and white flour makes people prone to beriberi and neurological diseases, producing negative effects on health.

Third, it has caused a large amount of energy waste. Producing 1 ton of rice consumes 50-70 kWh of electricity. Adding one more polishing step not only requires expanding the factory building, adding equipment, and increasing labor, but also requires an additional 15 kWh of electricity consumption. In 2013, China's rice output was 118 million tons. If enterprises reduce one polishing treatment, they can save 1.77 billion kWh of electricity, equivalent to one week's power generation of the Three Gorges Power Station.

In response to the current situation of waste in grain processing in China and experts' suggestions, the Agricultural Product Processing Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture requires agricultural product processing management departments at all levels to conscientiously implement the requirements of the "Notice of the Ministry of Agriculture on Strengthening Grain Processing Loss Reduction," strengthen organizational leadership, gain an in-depth understanding of the situation, identify existing problems accurately, take active measures, and solidly advance all work.

First, further strengthen public opinion dissemination. Give full play to the role of the media and increase publicity and reporting on the concept of scientific consumption. Organize relevant experts and scholars to carry out popularization and publicity of knowledge such as scientific consumption and healthy eating, and guide the public to establish correct consumption concepts. Recommend a batch of nutritional products and production enterprises such as whole wheat foods, germ rice, and brown rice, and continuously expand the market influence of nutritious and healthy foods.

Second, further promote technological innovation. Increase the research and development, demonstration, and promotion of new technologies, new processes, new equipment, and new products for energy conservation and emission reduction, cost saving, and consumption reduction, and gradually eliminate backward production capacity that is high in grain consumption, high in energy consumption, and high in pollution. Organize research on moderate grain processing and comprehensive utilization of by-products, and continuously improve the yield of finished grain products and the comprehensive utilization rate of by-products.

Third, further strengthen policy support. Actively seek supportive policies such as taxation and fiscal support, and support grain and oil processing enterprises in developing healthy foods such as whole wheat products and brown rice. Revise and improve the current grain and oil processing standard system as soon as possible, regulate the precision range of rice, flour, and oil processing, and guide enterprises to produce according to standards.