Solvent Retention Capacity and Quality Parameters of Whole Wheat Flour from Hard Red Spring Wheat

Abstract

A relatively new method, solvent retention capacity (SRC), is used to determine flour end-product quality. SRC was designed for soft wheat, which is used for baking cookies. The use of SRC to evaluate Hard Red Spring (HRS) wheat quality has not been conducted extensively. Eight HRS wheat cultivars from four different locations and two crop years were milled into refined and whole wheat flours. The samples were analyzed for phenotype, genotype, and environmental effects on flour composition, dough and bread quality. The SRC method was used to determine correlations between refined and whole wheat flours, and flour quality parameters. Flour quality was significantly (P<0.05) affected by cultivars, and the year x location, and year x cultivar interactions. Correlations exist between whole wheat flour and refined flour SRC profiles. Limited correlations exist between whole wheat flour SRC and flour quality. Therefore, SRC is not suitable for whole wheat HRS wheat flour.