After barley, wheat is the type of cereal that has been cultivated by humans the longest. It is estimated that farming began over 10,000 years ago.
Wheat probably came to Europe as early as the Neolithic period around 7,000 years ago, first in the Mediterranean region, where it was farmed by the Romans on a grand scale in ancient times. It was not until the 11th century that wheat also established itself in Central Europe as white bread became fashionable.
A series of plant types of the sweet grasses are described as wheat. Today, predominantly two types are farmed: durum and common wheat. The various types of wheat, after maize, represent the most commonly cultivated cereals in the world, which is a staple food in many countries.
Wheat has a high gluten content and is therefore globally widespread for the baking of sweet or tart dishes (common wheat), but also for the production of pasta (durum wheat).
With us, too, wheat is the most processed type of cereal.
