Fast food: From wheat to bread in 12 minutes and 42 seconds
The task was completed by members of ADM Milling’s technical team at Codham Hall Farm, in Essex, UK, which is operated by ADM supplier S&J Padfield & Partners.
The challenge was timed from the first movement of the combine harvester, with the winter wheat grain being collected and delivered to a tent set up on the edge of the field. The grain was then milled and blended with the other ingredients before being divided and moulded into a traditional baker’s dozen (13 loaves).
These were cooked in a gas-fired oven, with timing stopped at 12 minutes and 42.32 seconds as the last loaf hit the table from the baking tin.
Current official world record
Although pending authentication from Guinness Book of Records, ADM hopes to have shaved almost three minutes off the current official world record of 16 minutes and 30.83 seconds, which has been held by an Australian team in New South Wales for more than three years.
ADM Milling – which ran the event to raise funds for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity - will now send the necessary submissions and evidence to Guinness World Records to be officially endorsed and entered in the record books.
Integrated supply chain
“The Fastest Field-to-Loaf challenge presented us with an opportunity to showcase the resourcefulness of ADM colleagues coupled with the benefits of ADM Milling’s integrated supply chain,” said ADM managing director Tim Cook.
“Working closely with Christopher Padfield, who supplies his wheat to our mills via ADM Direct, showed what can be achieved when miller and farmer are joined up.”
ADM Milling – part of Archer Daniels Midland Company – this year launched a new partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity and aims to raise £100,000 ($130,000) to fund an enclosed isolation recovery bay in the hospital’s new Post Anaesthetic Care Unit, due to open in 2017.