Chemical Composition, Falling Number and Gluten Quality of Three Commercial Wheat Brands

Abstract

In this study, three brands of commercial wheat grains and their respective flours (80% extraction rate) were used (Sudanese, Ukrainian and Australian) in order to characterize the nutritional quality of their grain and flour as well as flour gluten quantity and quality. The three samples of wheat grains showed similar fat, ash and fibre contents. The protein content of wheat from Sudan (12.22%) and Australia (12.88%) was significantly (p≤0.05) higher compared to that for the Ukrainian wheat sample (11.50%). The Sudanese and Australian flour showed the same protein content (11.80%), which was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher than that for the Ukrainian sample (10.60%). Carbohydrate content of wheat samples from Sudan and Ukraine (75.75 and 74.37%, respectively) was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher than that of the Australian sample (71.89%). The moisture content of the Sudanese wheat flour was 13.45%, while that of Ukrainian flour was 13.68%. The Australian wheat flour showed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lower moisture content of 14.78%. The Sudanese and Australian wheat flours showed the same protein content (11.80%), which was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher compared to that of the Ukrainian sample (10.60%). No significant differences were observed among the three samples with respect to their fat (0.95-0.93%) and ash (1.49-1.55%) content. Fiber content of the Australian and Ukrainian flour samples (0.68 and 0.67%, respectively) was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher than that of the Sudanese sample (0.63%). Carbohydrate content of the Ukrainian and Sudanese wheat flour (72.97 and 72.17%, respectively) was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher compared to that of the Australian sample (71.27%). The three samples showed similar falling number in the range of 530.31 - 531.35. Both Sudanese and Australian samples showed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher wet (28.6%) and dry gluten (11.0%) as well as gluten index (82.50%) compared to that for the Ukrainian sample (26.50, 9.82 and 80.50%, respectively).

Keywords: wheat flour, gluten quality, falling number, chemical composition, nutritive value.