Processing of Cereals

For thousands of years, cereals have been a key source of food for human meals and animal feed, and a considerable number of by-products are created throughout the whole processing food chain, from farm to fork. The germ and outer layers (bran) formed from wet and dry milling of cereals, brewer's leftover grain produced during brewing of cereals, or other kinds received from the making of bread and starch manufacturing industries make up the majority of these by-products. Cereal by-products are a great cheaper source of nutritional fibers, proteins, carbs and sugars, minerals, and antioxidants (including vitamins and polyphenolic compounds), among other nutrients. These by-products are frequently degraded and discarded, or, in the best-case scenario, utilized for animal fertilizer or feed. The desire of industries and the worldwide markets to supply unique, sustainable, and inventive resolutions for the management of cereal-based by-products is developing quickly, as is the global population's awareness of sustainability of the environment and healthy lifestyles and well-being. Thus, the aim of the present chapter is to explore various innovative processing techniques apart from traditional methods of processing. Meanwhile, emphasis is given to different kinds of cereal by-products along with their application in the food system. Finally, regulations related to the processing of cereals are also covered.