Authors
Title
Abstract
The objective of the research study was to determine the correlations among rheological properties of wheat flour slurry and selected parameters of wheat bread baked in a laboratory. The experimental material was wheat flour made by grinding grains of 6 selected wheat cultivars in a laboratory mill. To grow wheat, two levels of agricultural technology were used; they differed in the levels of nitrogen fertilization and chemical protection. The following wheat flour parameters were determined: flour yields, ash content, moisture, content and quality of gluten, and falling number. Rheological properties of 15 % water dispersions of wheat flours were measured using a Mettler Rheomat RM 180 spindle-type rotational rheometer with coaxial cylinders. The bread was baked using a one-phase method. The bread baked was weighed to calculate a total baking loss and a baking yield. Furthermore, the volumes of bread loaves were measured and the crumb moisture was determined. Among other things, significant differences were found in the quantity and quality of gluten; however, no dependence was found between the changes in those characteristics and the applied level of agricultural technology. An increased amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied when growing wheat caused the breakdown value (a difference between the peak and minimum viscosities of hot slurries) to decrease and the setback value (a difference between the final and minimum viscosities of hot slurries) to increase; the breakdown and setback values were calculated for a 15 % water slurries of wheat flours. Also, a significant (p = 0.05) positive correlation was found between the falling number of flour and the peak viscosity of 15 % water slurries of wheat flours. The volume of bread produced was significantly (p = 0.05) correlated with the initial viscosity, peak viscosity, and setback value of 15 % wheat flour slurries. On the other hand, no significant (p = 0.05) correlations were found among other characteristics of the bread, i.e. among: baking loss, baking yield, and crumb moisture and the rheological properties of 15 % water slurries of wheat flours.
Keywords
agricultural techniques, wheat flour, starch, apparent viscosity, baking quality