What is the “falling number” in a flour specification and what is its significance?
The falling number test measures the alpha amylase activity of a flour (usually bread type) by determining the rate at which a metal ball passes through a cooked blend of flour and water. A properly malted bread flour will have a falling number of 250 to 290. Under-malted flours will have higher numbers and lower numbers indicate higher levels of amylase activity.
