Gluten Aggregation Behavior in High-Shear-Based GlutoPeak Test: Impact of Flour Water Absorption and Strength.

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 ( T_max) 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 T_max 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]