Corn Millers

[Saratan]

What are "sharps" as mentioned in this 1908 advert? A relative was moving a wagon load of sharps before he had an accident...

[ShaunJ]

Seems to be a by-product of maize milling:

https://www.uktradeinfo.com/commodities/230210

[Saratan]

Thanks for the quick reply. I understand what Bran is and how it is "made"and what it is used for but don't know what the sharps were: which bit of grain it is and hat it is used for (by the wagon load!) by another Miller

[AllanUK]

A quick 'Google' brought this up on

https://sourdough.com/forum/what-are-sharps

QUESTION asked in July 2008

I was at my local wholesaler recently, and they had bags of "flour sharps".  Is this just bran?  Can someone please explain to me what they are, and how they are used? They were mentioned in one of the bakery videos here, from memory, as something they used to flour the bannetons before rising the dough?

Thanks, Celia

REPLY 1

I'm not familiar with the term "sharps" in reference to flour milling. Perhaps it's a term that's has been imported from another industry that found its way into popular food literature in reference to a coarse flour such as semolina. I can't be sure but this is the first time I've heard anyone referring to a mill product as a "sharps".

In the milling jargon I'm familiar with "bran" - the outer fiberous layer of cereal berries -  is referred to as "bran". However, fine bran particles are called "pollard".

REPLY 2

One of the bakers on the Milawa video that Graham Took mentions it.  There were big large flour bags full of it at the wholesaler.  One of my milling friends told me it's mainly a fine semolina which bakers use to mark their loaves, so your hunch is probably right!

Will let you know if I find out any more...

Thanks, Celia