Search

Background and Objectives: This study investigated the impact of protein quantity and gluten strength on mechanical properties and microstructure of cooked pasta using texture analyzer and scanning electron microscopy. Three Canadian durum varieties with wide range of gluten strength at four protein levels were selected. Findings: Four distinct microstructures were characterized for cooked pasta. Pasta with firm texture exhibited compact and dense protein networks, while that with soft texture showed open, coarse, and heterogeneous structures. Protein content was the dominant factor in determining pasta firmness, the impact of gluten strength on pasta texture depends on protein content and cooking time. Greater impact from gluten strength was observed when pasta was overcooked. Conclusions: The relative contribution of protein quantity and quality in cooked pasta texture depends upon the ranges of protein content, gluten strength, and degree of cooking. Significance and Novelty: This study unveiled the impact of wheat protein content and gluten strength on textural and microstructural properties of pasta at three cooking times. Results generated from this study provide guidance for durum breeding programs, durum milling, and pasta processing industry in setting protein content and gluten strength targets to ensure pasta quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Glyphosate is an active ingredient in widely used herbicides; its residues have been observed in grain and grain‐based foods. This work investigated the fate of glyphosate and its degradation product aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in milling fractions of wheat and during the bread making process. Samples of wheat were pearled to obtain successive fractions representing outer kernel layers. Straight grade flour and bread were prepared from the two samples with the highest glyphosate concentration (2.1 and 2.8 mg/kg). Findings: All pearling and milling product fractions, dough, fermented dough, bread crust, and bread crumb were analyzed for glyphosate and AMPA using solvent extraction with derivatization and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Glyphosate was the only residue detected in samples. On average, the pearling experiment demonstrated that 50% of the total glyphosate mass resided in the outer 17% of the kernels. Similarly, 81% of the total glyphosate mass in the wheat was associated with the bran, shorts, and feeds milling fractions. No changes in glyphosate concentration were observed during the preparation of dough, fermented dough, and bread. Conclusions: Milling provides the best opportunity for reducing exposure to glyphosate, as the baking process did not affect glyphosate residues. Concentrations in bread made from straight grade flour will be approximately 4× lower than that made from whole grain flour. Significance and novelty: The use of Canada Western Red Spring from commercial wheat shipments provide realistic glyphosate residue concentrations and also reflect the predominance of this type of wheat used in Canada and elsewhere for bread. Therefore, the outcomes from this study are particularly relevant for estimating consumers' dietary exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gluten aggregation behaviors of wheat flour were evaluated using a high-shear-based method with the GlutoPeak instrument and related to flour functional properties. GlutoPeak peak time (PT) and peak area (PA) were positively associated with gluten strength but negatively affected by farinograph absorption (FAB). GlutoPeak maximum torque ( Tmax) was highly positively (P < 0.001) correlated with FAB regardless of gluten strength. PT and PA increased with the decrease of FAB. This could result in overestimation of gluten strength owing to water absorption. To account for the impact of FAB, a new parameter GlutoPeak strength index (GSI) was introduced for predicting gluten strength. GSI was obtained by multiplying Tmax and PA. This arithmetic product was found to provide greater correlation (r = 0.91) with dough strength than those of PA (r = 0.84) or PT (r = 0.57) based on the analysis of 56 advanced breeding lines with wide range of FAB. Moreover, significant relationships were found between GSI and flour mixing and baking properties. Using 8 g of flour and with a test time of less than 10 min, the GlutoPeak instrument shows great potential as a rapid tool for gluten strength selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extensigraph is an internationally accepted method for measurement of physical properties of dough subjected to mechanical handling and resting. Standard extensigraph methods (AACC International Approved Method 54-10.01, ISO 5530-2) use the farinograph for the preparation of dough in the presence of 2% salt at reduced water absorption (farinograph absorption minus 2-3%). However, the dough so prepared is usually underdeveloped and drier than typically seen in common baking processes. In addition, the standard extensigraph test is time consuming and requires a large sample size. In this study, an alternate dough preparation protocol is proposed, consisting of a Swanson-type pin mixer at reduced salt (1%) and elevated water absorption (farinograph absorption plus 4%). With the alternate method, dough is fully developed and similar to bread dough in physical properties. AACCI Approved Method 54-10.01 is followed for dough rounding, molding, resting, and stretching by using the Brabender Extensograph-E instrument. Strong correlations for resistance to extension (r = 0.90) and area (r = 0.92) were found between the modified and standard dough preparation methods. This protocol requires much less flour sample and significantly increases sample throughput. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monoglycerides are widely used in the baking industry because of their antistaling effects, mainly suppressing crumb firming. Commercial monoglycerides are normally prepared from hydrogenated fats, with stearate being the most common fatty acid. In a previous study, monoglycerides such as monopalmitate (C16) and monostearate (C18) had positive effects on Canadian short process bread but no improvements on sponge‐and‐dough process (SDP) bread. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of saturated monoglycerides of varying fatty acid chain length (C14–C22) on SDP breadmaking quality by using volume judgment, crumb image analysis, and texture measurements. Higher levels (1.00–1.50%) of all monoglycerides (C14, C16, and C18) significantly (P < 0.05) increased loaf volume and cell diameter. The larger cell diameter with increasing levels of these monoglycerides may have resulted from softer, more extensible dough handling properties and greater gas cell stability during baking. Addition of C16 and C18 caused the largest increase in crumb softness with increasing monoglyceride levels but showed relatively low resilience, which might be related to larger loaf volume (i.e., lower density of bread). However, addition of blended monoglycerides C14+C16 increased crumb softness and loaf volume while partially retaining resilience. Each monoglyceride had a different function in breadmaking quality and somewhat positive effects on SDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]