Durum wheat or
Macaroni wheat (also spelled Durhum or Durham wheat sometimes) (
Triticum durum or
Triticum turgidum subsp.
durum [1]) is the only
tetraploid species of
wheat widely cultivated today. Durum is the hardest of all wheats. Its high
protein content and
gluten strength make durum good for
pasta and
bread. It is not, however, good for
cakes, which are made from soft wheat to prevent toughness.
Most of the durum grown today is amber durum, the grains of which are amber-colored and larger than those of other types of wheat. Durum has a yellow endosperm, which gives pasta its color. When durum is milled, the endosperm is ground into a granular product called semolina. Semolina made from durum is used for premium pastas and breads.
There is also a red durum, used mostly for livestock feed.
Durum wheat sells at a premium to other varieties and accounts for roughly 5% of global wheat production, or about 30 million tons (1.1 billion bushels) in 2004. Most durum wheat is grown in Mediterranean countries, the former Soviet Union, North America, and Argentina. U.S. durum production is primarily in North Dakota, which produced 59% of the US crop in 2004. However the largest producer of durum is Canada where it is the third most prominent crop behind red spring wheat and canola; the primary region for durum is in the southern quarter of Saskatchewan.[citation needed]
