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Green spelt

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More and more consumers are focusing on naturalness and regionality when choosing their food. Original and traditional raw materials are therefore currently very much in vogue. In this connection, green spelt, too, can be a valuable raw material for the production of baked goods. Green spelt is unripe spelt that has been dried, traditionally, over beechwood smoke. This raw material, which is usually used as a wholemeal product, has a hearty-smoky aroma. The origin of the tradition around green spelt dates back to about 1660, when farmers harvested the spelt approx. four weeks before it was actually ripe, as it would otherwise have spoilt in the fields due to the bad weather conditions prevailing at that time. What was then a necessity has become a centuries-old tradition. A great deal of experience is required to find the optimum time for harvesting green spelt, as the transition to fully ripe spelt is very dynamic and only lasts 8 – 12 days.

When the green spelt is harvested, the grains have an olive-green colour and have already reached their full size. At this time, the water content of the grains is still very high with 40 – 50 %, making it necessary to dry them before storage. In the early days of green spelt drying, work was carried out on a small artisanal scale and the residual heat from the bakehouses was used to dry the grain kernels. Later, drying took place in malt kilns or flax kilns. Today, the grain is dried in modern drying towers, where a heated mixture of air and smoke flows around the grain, drying it very gently and evenly.


The „Bauländer Spelz“ variety has been prescribed for the production of green spelt since 1960. The advantages of this variety are its particularly high robustness and thus its suitability for cultivation on dry and nutrient-poor soils. Furthermore, the formation of firm husks and a below-average grain size are characteristics of „Bauländer Spelz“, which is why it is particularly suitable for the demanding kiln-drying process.

Baking technology with green spelt

The early harvest of green spelt implies that the grain‘s constituents, such as starch and gluten-forming proteins, have not yet fully developed. Although pure green spelt flours have a very high water absorption and although firm and dry doughs are achieved, these tend to have rather short and less elastic dough properties. During baking, there is insufficient aeration and the baked goods have a small volume. Green spelt products such as green spelt sourdough are therefore used as special, characterful ingredients in mixes.