ARS | Publication request: MILLSTREAM ANALYSIS OF SELECTED HARD SPRING WHEAT CULTIVARS

Submitted to: Annual National Wheat Industry Research Forum
Publication Type: Abstract
Publication Acceptance Date: January 3, 2003
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Commercial millers generally blend flour from different millstreams to produce patent flour that meets customer specifications. Typically, patent flour is made up of flour millstreams that have similar color and low ash content. However, these properties are not strong predictors of gluten quality, which includes dough elasticity and extensibility characteristics and flour water absorption. Studies were conducted to characterize the gluten properties of 18 flour millstreams that were obtained under pilot-scale milling trials of 4 commercial cultivars of hard red spring wheat, namely the cvs. Alsen, Russ, Ember, and Verde. The gluten properties were measured by the farinograph and by the consistograph/alveograph. Major differences were observed in the quality of the flour millstreams within a wheat cultivar in terms of flour protein content, dough elasticity and extensibility, dough mix time and stability, energy to mix the dough, and water absorption. The reasons for these phenomena are not clearly known. However, future studies will focus on characterizing protein subunits that are likely responsible for differences in gluten quality among flour millstreams. In addition, methods need to be developed that could potentially be used to rapidly measure gluten properties among flour millstreams, and if available, could result in patent flour with improved and better defined end-use properties.