The word is derived from the French fleur de farine, meaning "flower [or the best part] of the wheat." Chemicals, such as chlorine dioxide, benzoyl peroxide or acetone peroxide, are used to bleach flour, which destroys most of its vitamins. Government regulations require that vitamins be added to produce enriched flour. Gluten is the starch element of wheat, also known as essential or vital gluten, which is extracted from the wheat during a washing and rinsing process and used mainly as an additive to dough. Wheat germ is the isolated highly nutritious core, or germ, of the grain, which spoils very quickly if not refrigerated. Wheat bran is the outer layer of the wheat kernel and is very high in carbohydrates, calcium and fiber.
2. (v.) to dust a greased cake pan with flour in order to prevent the cake from sticking to the side of the pan; this allows the cake to release easily when it is done. Flour also means to dip a food into flour (then usually into beaten eggs, then bread crumbs) as a preparation for frying, or to dust a work surface, your hands, a utensil or a piece of dough with flour to prevent it from sticking to another object that touches it.
From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
