Bran is the firm outer coat of kernels of barley, corn, oat, rice, wheat, and other cereal grains. It is usually separated from the kernel during milling. Bran has a high fiber content. It also contains iron, niacin and other B vitamins, phosphorus, protein, and starch. Most bran from wheat, the world’s chief commercial grain, is used as livestock feed. However, wheat bran is also an ingredient in some breads, muffins, and breakfast cereals. Some researchers believe that the addition of oat bran or rice bran to a person’s diet can help lower levels of cholesterol.
Most of the bran produced commercially in the United States is obtained from wheat as a by-product of flour milling. Each wheat kernel also consists of a starchy inner section called the endosperm and an undeveloped new plant called a germ or embryo. White flour is made from the endosperm, which is separated during milling. In the milling process, the kernels are tempered (moistened) to make the bran easier to remove. Rollers then grind the grain into finer and finer particles. At each stage, some endosperm becomes flour and is sifted into bins. After the finest grade of white flour has been obtained, a by-product called shorts or middlings remains. Shorts consist of coarse particles of endosperm, bran fragments, and bits of the germ. Shorts are used primarily as livestock feed.
