Maida,maida flour, ormaida mavu is a type ofwheat flour originated from theIndian subcontinent.[1][2] It is a super-refined[citation needed] wheat flour used inIndian cuisine to make pastries and other bakery items like breads and biscuits. Some maida may have tapioca starch added.[citation needed]
Maida is made from theendosperm: the starchy white part of thegrain. The bran is separated from thegerm and endosperm which is then refined by passing through a sieve of 80 mesh per inch (31 mesh per centimeter).[3] Although naturally yellowish due to pigments present in wheat,maida is typically bleached, either naturally due to atmospheric oxygen, or with any of a number offlour bleaching agents.[4]
While it is milled from winter wheat that has a high gluten content, heat generated during the milling process results indenaturing of the protein, limiting its use in the preparation of leavened breads.[5]
A common claim in the popular media is that maida containsalloxan, added as a bleaching agent or formed as a byproduct of bleaching.[6] While it is a minor product ofxanthophyll oxidation, there is no evidence that trace amounts of alloxan formed comprise a health risk.[7]
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