tell me I don't need to be afraid of rye grain

[bornthrifty]

I am new to grinding flour from grain...

I was reading up on several things and it sounds like at some point in history rye went out of vogue for making into flour because some black mildew or something like that spread all over europe, and well, people (and animals ) who ate it

died :/



now I need you to tell me that I can visually inspect that rye I have, and that everything will be ok...

(unless it isn't ok...I mean don't lie to me...lol)

thanks much

 

[patandchickens]

If you are talking about ergot -- and 'black mildew thing' sounds like you are -- it is visible and obvious on the whole grains. So, like, don't mill any you find like that

If you do not believe just me, "Ergot is easily detected in grain samples as the sclerotia are clearly visible to the naked eye and the removal of the ergot bodies is also relatively easy. In addition, if the contamination does exceed 0.1 percent, the contaminated grain can be mixed with uncontaminated grain until an acceptable level is obtained. Detection is not as easy if the rye has been milled into flour or is mixed in a processed feed, although chemical methods are available to detect ergot in milled rye products." (from http://www.usask.ca/agriculture/plantsci/winter_cereals/winter_rye/feedgrain.php )



Good luck, have fun,

Pat