Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	2—BASIS OF PRESENTATION Consolidation The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Penford and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All material intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. Transactions between segments are at cost plus a return on assets. The condensed consolidated balance sheet at November 30, 2014 and the condensed consolidated statements of income (loss), comprehensive income (loss) and cash flows for the interim periods ended November 30, 2014 and 2013 have been prepared by the Company without audit. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, which are necessary to present fairly the financial information, have been made. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the operating results of a full year or of future operations. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year’s financial statements in order to conform to the current year presentation. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 31, 2014, as amended. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates are used in accounting for, among other things, the allowance for doubtful accounts; the determination of potential write downs for lower-of-cost-or-market inventory evaluations; the reserve for obsolete inventory; accruals; legal contingencies; the determination of fair value of net assets acquired in a business combination; the determination of assumptions for pension and postretirement employee benefit costs; useful lives of property, plant and equipment; the assessment of a potential impairment of goodwill, indefinite-lived intangible assets or long-lived assets; and income taxes, including the determination of a need for a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets. Actual results may differ from previously estimated amounts. Change in Estimate During the third quarter of fiscal year 2014, the Company changed its estimates of useful lives of certain machinery and equipment used by the Industrial Ingredients segment to better match depreciation expense of these assets with the periods in which these assets are expected to generate revenue. The new estimated useful lives were established based on manufacturing engineering data and external benchmark data and were generally increased as compared to the previous estimates. The Company accounted for this as a prospective change in accounting estimate as of May 1, 2014, thereby impacting the quarter in which the change occurred and future periods. The change in the estimate lowered depreciation expense as compared to the amount that would have been recorded using the historical estimated useful lives. The effect of this change on net income and diluted earnings per share for the quarter ended November 30, 2014 was $758,000 and $0.06 per share, respectively. Recent Accounting Pronouncements On May 28, 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance that requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. The guidance will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance when it becomes effective. The new standard is effective for the Company on September 1, 2017, and early application is not permitted. The standard permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. The Company is evaluating the effect that this new guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. The Company has not selected a transition method nor has it determined the effect of the standard on its ongoing financial reporting.

2—BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Consolidation

The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Penford and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All material intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. Transactions between segments are at cost plus a return on assets. The condensed consolidated balance sheet at November 30, 2014 and the condensed consolidated statements of income (loss), comprehensive income (loss) and cash flows for the interim periods ended November 30, 2014 and 2013 have been prepared by the Company without audit. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, which are necessary to present fairly the financial information, have been made. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the operating results of a full year or of future operations. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year’s financial statements in order to conform to the current year presentation. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 31, 2014, as amended.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates are used in accounting for, among other things, the allowance for doubtful accounts; the determination of potential write downs for lower-of-cost-or-market inventory evaluations; the reserve for obsolete inventory; accruals; legal contingencies; the determination of fair value of net assets acquired in a business combination; the determination of assumptions for pension and postretirement employee benefit costs; useful lives of property, plant and equipment; the assessment of a potential impairment of goodwill, indefinite-lived intangible assets or long-lived assets; and income taxes, including the determination of a need for a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets. Actual results may differ from previously estimated amounts.

Change in Estimate

During the third quarter of fiscal year 2014, the Company changed its estimates of useful lives of certain machinery and equipment used by the Industrial Ingredients segment to better match depreciation expense of these assets with the periods in which these assets are expected to generate revenue. The new estimated useful lives were established based on manufacturing engineering data and external benchmark data and were generally increased as compared to the previous estimates. The Company accounted for this as a prospective change in accounting estimate as of May 1, 2014, thereby impacting the quarter in which the change occurred and future periods. The change in the estimate lowered depreciation expense as compared to the amount that would have been recorded using the historical estimated useful lives. The effect of this change on net income and diluted earnings per share for the quarter ended November 30, 2014 was $758,000 and $0.06 per share, respectively.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

On May 28, 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance that requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. The guidance will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance when it becomes effective. The new standard is effective for the Company on September 1, 2017, and early application is not permitted. The standard permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. The Company is evaluating the effect that this new guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. The Company has not selected a transition method nor has it determined the effect of the standard on its ongoing financial reporting.