All of our flours and pastas are Non-GMO Project Verified. Our Floriani Red Flint corn polenta is GMO-free, however, we do not have Organic or Non-GMO Project Verification on our polenta.

FAQs - Community Grains

Q: Are your products Kosher?

Our pasta, flour, and polenta products are all certified Kosher by The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.

Q: How is cooking with whole grain, whole milled flour different than with enriched all-purpose white flour?

For simple baked goods like cookies or brownies, Community Grains flour can typically be substituted 1:1 with AP flour quite easily with no special consideration. For breads and sourdoughs, there are a few differences. Whole grain flour absorbs liquid more slowly than AP white flour, because it is not as finely processed. Depending on your recipe, this may require longer resting periods, more proofing, or more water than with AP flour. It can be finicky a process to develop new whole grain ratios but that’s part of the fun. It’s all about exploration. Because whole grain flour naturally contains the nutrients and fiber that are taken out of white flour during the milling process, your baking will now include the benefits of a more nutritious and flavorful flour.

Q: Is your flour and polenta milled/processed on shared equipment with peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, egg, soy, or sesame?

Our flours and polenta are packed in a facility that also packages nuts and soy, but they are not milled on the same equipment. Our pasta is made and packed in a facility that is nut and soy free. The pasta is made on machines that may also be used to make pasta containing egg.

Q: Do you have gluten-free products?

Our polenta integrale is made from whole grain corn, which is completely gluten-free! Please enjoy. However, all of our wheat products (flour, pastas, breads) do have gluten. Gluten is found in the endosperm of the grain, and since our wheat is 100% whole grain, the entirety of the endosperm remains in our end product. Many studies show that consuming large quanitties of refined white flower has led to the proliferation of gluten allergies and intolerances. Those with celiaces diseas, who have a severe allergy to gluten, should not consume our products. Others with a slight intolerance to wheat products, largely made from white flour, find that they do not react the same to whole grain whole wheat products.

Q: What wheat varieties do you use?

Check out our Current Harvest . Shop the products at our webstore !

Q: Are your non-organic certified wheats grown with pesticides/herbicides?

Our commodity wheat is grown and milled in California, unless there is a shortage. This wheat is not grown with pesticides. There was an herbicide used early on in the growing season, but other than that, no pesticides are used.

Q: Are your products organic?

All of the kernels our products are made from are grown organically. Our Identity Preserved pasta line, bulk flours, and bulk kernels are all California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) certified. The Sonora Flour and Rye Flour are Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO).

Q: What do you mean by "True Whole Grain"?

Did you know that current FDA guidance allows food manufacturers to call a product “Whole Grain” if it contains only 8 grams of whole grain per 30 grams serving? That means that the rest (well over 50%) of a given product may be refined white flour. The FDA doesn’t require food manufacturers to disclose the proportion of whole wheat flour to white flour in a given product, so you’ll never know what you’re getting! We are committed to whole milling, meaning whole kernels go into our innovative mill, and 100% come out. If and when we sift out the larger particles, it is never more than 5% and we will always let you know. Learn more about Whole Milling .

Q: What is Identity Preserved?

Our Identity Preserved products are grown by local farmers and fully traceable from seed to table. Just grab the batch # from your box of Community Grains Identity Preserved pasta, or other IP product, and enter it on our website to learn more about the grain. Find out more here and don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions.