Flour type numbers decoded: Polish T-codes, French T45–T150, German 550, Italian 00

Why type numbers matter — and why they confuse

Open any cookbook from France, a German bakery manual, or an Italian pasta recipe, and you will find a flour type number. Open the Domson catalogue and you will find Polish T-codes. These are different systems encoding the same underlying thing: how much of the grain's bran fraction ended up in the flour.

European flour classification systems by country

The confusion arises because the numbers look similar but scale differently, and because the systems disagree on exactly what type numbers imply about protein content and baking performance. T55 does not mean "same as T550 divided by 10". This article decodes each system from first principles, shows where they align, and maps the alignment to the Domson catalogue.

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1. The underlying measurement: ash content

All four major European flour classification systems — Polish, French, German, Italian — are built on the same physical measurement: ash content.

When flour is incinerated at 550°C in a muffle furnace, the organic matter burns away completely. What remains is a white-grey residue of mineral salts (phosphates, potassium, magnesium, calcium) — this is the ash. It is measured as a percentage of dry flour mass. The method is ISO 2171 / PN-EN ISO 2171. [c54]

The central fact: bran layers contain roughly ten times more ash than the starchy endosperm. As the miller extracts more bran into the flour, ash rises. As a result, ash content is a reliable proxy for extraction rate and, by extension, for flour colour, fibre content, flavour intensity, and mineral content. [c56]

T-code decoding: how the number encodes ash content

How the type number encodes ash:

| System | Encoding principle | Example | |---|---|---| | Polish (PN-A-74022) | Type number = ash content in mg per 100 g dry flour | T550 = 550 mg ash/100g d.m. = 0.55% ash [c54] | | German (DIN 10355) | Same encoding as Polish | Type 550 = 550 mg ash/100g d.m. = 0.55% ash [c59] | | French (NF V03-720) | Type number = ash content in g per 10 kg dry flour | T55 = 55 g/10 kg = 550 mg/100g = 0.55% ash [c58] | | Italian (Decreto 187/2001) | Named tipos; ash limit defined in % d.m. | tipo 00 = ash max 0.55% [c60] |

Key insight: Polish T550, German Type 550, and French T55 all correspond to approximately 0.55% ash — they are encoding the same measurement in ways that look very different. Italian tipo 00 has a similar ash ceiling (max 0.55%) but is not named by the number. [c61]

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2. The Polish system in full — and the Domson catalogue

The Polish standard PN-A-74022 defines wheat flour types based on ash content measured by PN-EN ISO 2171 (incineration at 550°C, result on dry-matter basis). The type number directly encodes ash in mg per 100 g dry flour. [c54]

Flour colour by type number — from white T400 to wholemeal T2000

The following table draws on 10 confirmed supplier specification sheets from the Domson catalogue. See [table-polish-types-specsheet] for the full parameter breakdown.

| Polish Type | Ash max % (d.m.) | Wet Gluten min % | Falling Number min (s) | Primary application | Domson catalogue product | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | T400 | 0.50 | 18 | not standardised | Pasta, macaroni, wafer | Wheat Flour T400 Macaroni 25 kg [c1] | | T450 | 0.48 | 23.0 | ≥ 220 | Fine pastry, shortcrust | Wheat Flour Type 450 25 kg [c4,c6,c7] | | T500 | 0.52 | 23.0 | ≥ 220 | General pastry, sponge | Domson White Flour Type 500 25 kg [c9,c11,c12] | | T550 | 0.51–0.58 (GoodMills) / max 0.58 (Komplexmłyn) | 28–32 (GoodMills) / ≥25 (Komplexmłyn) | ≥ 220 | White sandwich bread, rolls | Domson T550 GoodMills; Komplexmłyn T550 [c14,c16,c21,c22] | | T750 | max 0.82 | ≥ 26 | ≥ 220 | Rustic/artisan bread | Domson Bread Flour Type 750 25 kg [c24,c25,c26] | | T850 | max 0.90 | ≥ 26 | ≥ 220 | Brown bread, high-fibre | Wheat Flour Type 850 25 kg [c28,c29,c30] | | T1850 (Graham) | < 2.0 | — | > 180 | Graham bread, high-bran | Graham Wheat Flour Type 1850 40 kg [c31,c32] | | Rye T720 | < 0.78 | — | > 90 | Light rye bread | Rye Flour Type 720 20/25 kg [c34,c35] | | Rye T2000 | < 2.0 | — | > 90 | Wholemeal rye bread | Wholemeal Rye Flour Type 2000 40 kg [c37,c38] |

Important notes:

• The two T550 products in the catalogue have very different protein levels: GoodMills T550 fortified specifies protein 11.5–12.5% and wet gluten 28–32%; the Komplexmłyn T550 (Wągrowiec Mill) specifies only protein min 8.0% and wet gluten min 25%. The type number is the same; the functional performance is different. Always check protein and wet gluten on the spec sheet. [c14,c16,c21,c22,c23]

• The T400 macaroni grade is a speciality product: gluten index 55–100 (a range reflecting acceptable but not necessarily high elasticity — macaroni-grade flour needs adequate gluten but high extensibility for pasta extrusion). Falling number is not standardised, which is unusual. [c1,c3]

• Graham flour (T1850) has a slightly lower falling number minimum (> 180 s vs ≥ 220 s for white types) because the high bran content buffers enzymatic activity. GoodMills T1850 FN > 180 s is confirmed by spec sheet. [c31,c32]

• Rye flour types follow the same ash-encoding convention as wheat, but the falling number threshold is entirely different: both Rye T720 and T2000 spec sheets specify only FN > 90 s. [c34,c35,c37,c38] Do not compare rye FN values to wheat FN thresholds — rye starch gels at a lower temperature and rye amylases are more heat-stable. A rye FN of 90–150 s is normal operating range; see [table-system-comparison-by-attribute] for further detail.

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3. The French system: T45 to T150

The French type system (NF V03-720) uses the same ash-encoding logic as the Polish system, but the number is calculated from ash in grams per 10 kilograms of dry flour rather than milligrams per 100 grams — which gives a number ten times smaller for the same ash content. [c58]

| French type | Ash max % (d.m.) | Polish approximate equivalent | Typical application | |---|---|---|---| | T45 | ≤ 0.50% | T450–T500 | Fine patisserie, croissants, soft rolls | | T55 | ≤ 0.60% | T550 | Standard white bread, baguette | | T65 | ≤ 0.75% | T650–T750 | Baguette de tradition, country bread | | T80 | ≤ 0.90% | T750–T850 | Country bread (pain de campagne) | | T110 | ≤ 1.20% | T1050–T1150 | High-extraction bread | | T150 | ≥ 1.40% | T1400–T1850 | Near-wholemeal / wholemeal |

Caution (single source): These French ash limits are drawn from trade literature (src-020, medium reliability). They are consistent with multiple reference works and widely cited in professional baking education, but could not be independently cross-checked against the NF V03-720 standard text during this research session. Treat these as highly probable reference values, not guaranteed legal limits.

Practical implication for Domson buyers: French T55 and Polish T550 are very close in ash terms. However, a French miller's T55 typically has protein around 10–11%, whereas the GoodMills T550 Fortified in the catalogue delivers 11.5–12.5% protein — notably stronger. If you are replicating a French recipe that specifies T55 and finding dough too tight, consider the Komplexmłyn T550 (protein min 8%) as the lower-strength alternative, or dilute GoodMills T550 with some T500.

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4. The German system: Type 405 to Type 1700

German flour classification (DIN 10355) uses exactly the same encoding as the Polish system: the type number equals ash content in milligrams per 100 grams of dry flour. [c59] German Type 550 and Polish T550 represent the same ash class.

| German type | Ash % (d.m.) approx. | Polish approximate equivalent | Application | |---|---|---|---| | Type 405 | ~0.40–0.45% | T400–T450 | Cakes, biscuits, pastry (Kuchen) | | Type 550 | ~0.51–0.58% | T550 | Standard bread, rolls (Brötchen) | | Type 630 | ~0.60–0.67% | T650 | Wheat rolls, mixed-grain bread | | Type 812 | ~0.77–0.84% | T750–T850 | Bread, mixed-grain | | Type 1050 | ~1.00–1.08% | T1050 | Dark bread, Mischbrot | | Type 1600 | ~1.55–1.63% | T1600–T1850 | High-extraction, near-wholemeal | | Type 1700 | wholemeal | T2000 (wheat) | Wholemeal wheat bread |

Key observation: German Type 405 (ash ~0.40%) is the closest German equivalent to Italian tipo 00 in ash terms, and both are used for delicate pastry applications. However, German Type 405 is milled purely from soft wheat to achieve low protein (typically 8–9%), while Italian tipo 00 covers a much broader protein range depending on intended use — from pastry-grade (9%) to pizza-grade (12–13%). The type number alone does not capture this distinction. [c59,c60,c64]

For Domson buyers working with German recipes: German Type 550 can be substituted directly with Domson GoodMills T550 or Komplexmłyn T550 with high confidence in ash alignment. For German Type 812/1050, the Domson Bread Flour T750 (ash max 0.82%) is a good match at the lower end, but there is no direct T1050 product; a blend of T850 + Wheat Bran can approximate it (see [table-practical-substitution]).

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5. The Italian system: tipo 00 to integrale

Italy classifies flour under Decreto Ministeriale 187/2001, using named tipo (type) designations based on ash content and, for some types, granulometry (particle size). [c60]

| Italian tipo | Ash max % (d.m.) | Polish approximate equivalent | Application | |---|---|---|---| | tipo 00 | ≤ 0.55% | T500–T550 | Pasta (durum), pizza, delicate pastry, fresh egg pasta | | tipo 0 | ≤ 0.65% | T550–T650 | General bread, pizza, focaccia | | tipo 1 | ≤ 0.80% | T750 | Country bread, mixed bread | | tipo 2 | ≤ 0.95% | T850–T1050 | Semi-wholemeal bread | | integrale | 1.30–1.70% | T1600–T1850 | Wholemeal bread |

Stretching pizza dough made from tipo 00 soft-wheat flour

The tipo 00 confusion: "00" does not mean twice-zero or double-refined. It simply means the finest granulation class in the Italian standard, with the lowest ash limit (max 0.55%). However, tipo 00 is commercially available at very different protein levels:

• Tipo 00 for pasta (from durum wheat semolina): very different raw material; high in protein and carotenoids; yellow colour; not interchangeable with soft wheat tipo 00
• Tipo 00 for pastry (soft wheat): protein 8–10%; low gluten development; for tarts, biscotti
• Tipo 00 for pizza (soft wheat, high-protein variety): protein 11–13%; high W (dough strength), high extensibility for hand-stretching [c62]

From the Domson catalogue perspective, GoodMills T550 Fortified (protein 11.5–12.5%, ash 0.51–0.58%) is the closest practical substitute for pizza-grade tipo 00. For pastry-grade tipo 00, Domson White Flour T500 (ash max 0.52%, protein min 8%) or Wheat Flour T450 (ash max 0.48%, protein min 8%) are more appropriate. [c61]

Note (food safety): If a recipe specifies Italian tipo 00 for pasta but you are substituting Polish T500 or T450, be aware that true Italian pasta-grade tipo 00 is often milled from durum wheat semolina, which is a different species (Triticum durum, higher carotenoid content, higher protein structure). Polish T500/T450 is milled from common wheat (Triticum aestivum). The pasta texture and colour will differ. Both are gluten-containing and must declare GLUTEN as allergen. [c71]

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6. The UK system: no type numbers

The United Kingdom does not use a T-type classification system. UK millers sell flour by application name and protein content is the primary commercial quality descriptor. [c65]

The UK Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/141) are the key statutory framework — but they do not define a type-number system. Instead they mandate that all wheat flour sold in the UK (except wholemeal) must contain minimum levels of: [c44]

• Calcium carbonate: 235–390 mg per 100 g
• Iron: ≥ 1.65 mg per 100 g
• Thiamin (B1): ≥ 0.24 mg per 100 g
• Niacin (B3): ≥ 1.60 mg per 100 g

This mandatory fortification is a critical difference when working with UK-milled flour outside the UK. These nutrients must be declared in the ingredients list and may trigger labelling obligations in the destination country.

UK flour classification by application:

| UK category | Typical protein % | Approximate Polish equivalent | Domson catalogue product | |---|---|---|---| | Extra-strong / high-gluten bread flour | 13.5–14.5% | T550 premium batch / speciality | — (not stocked) | | Strong bread flour | 11.5–13.5% | T550 (high-protein) / T750 | Windrush Strong White Bread Flour 16 kg [c40] | | Plain flour (all-purpose) | 9.0–11.0% | T500 / T550 | Domson Plain Flour 16 kg | | Pastry / cake flour | 7.5–9.5% | T450 / T500 | Golden Jewel Pastry Flour 16 kg [c49] | | Self-raising flour | 9.0–11% + raising agents | T500 + baking powder | Perfect Self Raising Flour 16 kg [c52] | | Wholemeal strong | 12.0–14.0% | T1850 + semolina | — (see Organic Strong Wholemeal 25 kg) |

UK-specific parameter: Flour Colour Grade (FCG)

In addition to protein and moisture, UK spec sheets include a Flour Colour Grade (FCG). This is an optical reflectance measurement expressing whiteness/bran content. Lower FCG = whiter flour. The Windrush Strong White spec shows FCG target 2.5 (range 1.5–3.5). [c67] FCG has no direct equivalent in Polish, French, German or Italian standards — do not attempt to convert it to an ash percentage.

See [table-uk-flour-specs] for confirmed analytical parameters from Domson UK flour spec sheets.

Note on Windrush Strong White: The flour originates from Germany or UK (blend; Wągrowiec/Polish origin not possible for this product — it is milled by FWP Matthews Ltd, a UK mill). It also contains added Vital Wheat Gluten (VWG) < 1.5% and Creta Plus (calcium carbonate) 0.31%. [c43,c44] Both additives are declared in the ingredients. VWG is an allergen in its own right (gluten); it is added to boost protein to the target specification rather than relying solely on variety selection.

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7. The crosswalk at a glance

The following is a simplified alignment of the four systems on a common ash scale. See [table-global-crosswalk] for the full comparison table.

Flour type systems aligned on a common ash-content vertical scale

| Ash % (d.m.) | Poland | France | Germany | Italy | UK (approx.) | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | ≤ 0.50% | T400–T450 | T45 | Type 405 | tipo 00 | Pastry/cake flour | | ~0.55% | T550 | T55 | Type 550 | tipo 00 | Plain / mild strong | | ~0.65–0.75% | T650–T750 | T65 | Type 630–812 | tipo 0–1 | Strong bread flour | | ~0.80–0.90% | T750–T850 | T80 | Type 812–1050 | tipo 1–2 | Wholemeal blend | | ~1.20–2.0% | T1850–T2000 | T110–T150 | Type 1600–1700 | integrale | Wholemeal |

Using this table: The ash alignment is reliable for colour, bran content and extraction level. It is not a reliable guide to protein content or gluten strength — those vary independently by wheat variety, season and milling practice. Always check protein and wet gluten on the spec sheet before substituting across systems. [c54,c55]

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8. Practical substitution guide

When working from a recipe that specifies a foreign flour type, use [table-practical-substitution] for a full guide. The most common situations:

Italian pizza (specifies tipo 00 high-protein): Use GoodMills T550 Fortified (protein 11.5–12.5%, ash 0.51–0.58%). The ash aligns well and the protein range is appropriate for a chewy, extensible Neapolitan-style base. Expect slightly less extensibility than a specialist Italian pizza tipo 00 (which is often milled from selected high-W varieties); compensate with a slightly longer bulk fermentation to develop extensibility. [c61]

French baguette (specifies T65): Use Domson Bread Flour T750 (ash max 0.82%, protein ≥10%, wet gluten ≥26%). T750 ash slightly exceeds T65 (max 0.75%), giving a marginally more flavourful crumb with more bran character — which is authentic for a rustic baguette. For a more refined baguette, blend 80% T550 GoodMills + 20% T750. [c24,c58]

German Roggenmischbrot (specifies Roggenmehl Type 1150): The Domson range does not stock a rye flour equivalent to Type 1150 (ash ~1.15%) directly. GoodMills Rye T720 (ash < 0.78%) is lighter; Rye T2000 (ash < 2.0%) is much darker. For an approximate match, blend approximately 50% Rye T720 + 50% Rye T2000 (effective ash ~1.4%) or increase the T2000 proportion to taste. [c34,c37]

UK pastry (specifies plain flour): Use Domson White Flour T500 (ash max 0.52%, protein min 8%) or Wheat Flour T450 (ash max 0.48%, protein min 8%). Both are appropriate soft-to-medium flours for shortcrust pastry, scones and sponges. Note that UK recipes developed with UK-BFR-fortified flour assume additional calcium in the ingredient matrix — this does not affect baking performance but is worth noting for nutritional calculations. [c9,c4,c44]

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9. Allergen summary for all flour types in this article

All wheat and spelt flours discussed in this article contain GLUTEN and must be declared as allergens under EU Regulation 1169/2011 Annex II and equivalent UK law (UK FIR 2014). [c71]

Spelt flour (Matthews Light Spelt): must be declared as GLUTEN (SPELT WHEAT) — spelt is a named sub-category of gluten-containing cereals requiring explicit declaration, not just "wheat". [c48,c71]

Cross-contamination risks declared on spec sheets:

• Wągrowiec Mill (T450, T500, T550 Komplexmłyn, T750): soy, lupine, mustard [c72]
• GoodMills Polska (T550 Fortified): soy, lupine, mustard [c19,c72]
• Matthews Windrush Strong White: soy (potential contamination in supply chain, mill does not process soy) [c73]

UK mandatory fortification allergen note: UK-fortified flour (Windrush, Golden Jewel, Allied Mills Self-Raising) contains added Vital Wheat Gluten (< 1.5% in Windrush) which is an additional gluten-containing ingredient — declare accordingly. [c43]

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Coverage notes and gaps

Solid: Polish T-type system and all catalogue product values are fully spec-sheet-confirmed from 13 supplier documents. UK flour regulations (BFR 1998) and mandatory fortification requirements are verified from the statute and spec sheets. Allergen declarations are confirmed across all 13 spec sheets.

Thin (single-source): French, German and Italian classification system ash limits — sourced from one cross-reference publication (src-020, medium reliability). These values are consistent with trade literature from IREKS Compendium and BAKERpedia but were not independently verified against the primary standards (NF V03-720, DIN 10355, Decreto 187/2001) in this session. A follow-up check against BIPEA (French milling body) or BVE (German food industry) published tables is recommended.

Gap: No alveograph (W, P/L) data available for any product in this article — Polish suppliers do not routinely report this on their standard spec sheets. If alveograph data is critical (e.g. automated sheeting lines for pizza or croissant), request from GoodMills Polska or Wągrowiec Mill separately. The related article A1-key-quality-parameters covers this parameter in detail.

Gap: No durum wheat / semolina type system covered — this article focuses on common wheat (Triticum aestivum) flour and rye. Durum semolina (used for pasta) has its own Italian classification (Semola / Semolato). Schedule for a separate A1 article.

Human review flags (do not use in compliance or labelling context without verification):

• Self-raising flour CO2 release threshold: a figure of ≥ 0.4% by volume is sometimes cited for UK self-raising flour but could not be confirmed from the text of the UK Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/141) during research. This may derive from a different standard (e.g. BS 2095 or a trade code of practice). Do not cite as a BFR 1998 requirement until confirmed.
• Nutritional values for Graham T1850 (protein 12.3 g/100g, fibre 12.3 g/100g), Rye T720 (fibre 7.4 g/100g) and Rye T2000 (fibre 14.4 g/100g) are label-declaration values from single supplier spec sheets and have not been independently verified. Verify against current product labels and batch analysis before use in any nutritional claim or compliance documentation.
• Allied Mills Self Raising Flour spec is dated 2011 (15 years old). Verify current spec version before citing specific parameters.