Asparagine and dough quality: Gluten strength relationships in hard red spring wheat

Abstract

Background and objectives: The presence of acrylamide, a probable carcinogen, is a global concern for the baking industry. The reduction of free asparagine in wheat is an effective strategy to mitigate acrylamide formation. However, field-based strategies for this purpose also affect gluten strength and bread quality. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between wheat free asparagine concentration, gluten strength and whole wheat bread quality for an extensive set of hard red spring wheat samples. Findings: Gluten strength parameters negatively correlated to wheat free asparagine concentration and showed strong inverse correlations to wheat free asparagine concentration per unit mass of protein. Reducing free asparagine concentration in the wheat did not affect the quality of the bread. Conclusions: In efforts to deliver wheat grains with a low acrylamideformation potential, wheat producers can apply strategies, for example, variety selection, that will reduce free asparagine without worries that gluten strength and bread quality will be impaired.

Adding pulse flours to cereal‐based snacks and bakery products: An overview of free asparagine quantification methods and mitigation strategies of acrylamide formation in foods

“…As such, reducing wheat free ASN content has become a critical goal for food safety and quality. Nevertheless, Trevisan et al (2023b) explored the relationship between gluten strength, free ASN concentration, and bread quality for a wide-ranging set of hard red spring wheat samples. Results showed that gluten strength parameters were negatively correlated to free ASN levels in wheat, but reducing its concentration did not affect bread's overall quality (Trevisan et al, 2023b).…”

“…Although the Maillard reaction is responsible for forming some toxic byproducts (including acrylamide), this reaction is primarily responsible for the brown color, crust, and characteristic tasty flavor of baked, fried, and toasted foods. Acrylamide formation is temperature dependent and occurs at temperatures above 120 • C. Therefore, it is not naturally found in raw or boiled food (Khaneghah et al, 2022;Trevisan et al, 2023b), and acrylamide concentration can be exceptionally low (<5 μg/kg) in unheated foods (Tareke et al, 2002). The Maillard reaction will not be reviewed in detail here: suffice it to say that it is a complex reaction series that occurs in food ingredients containing free amino acids and reducing sugars during the thermal processing (Halford et al, 2022).…”

“…Results present a remarkable variability in the acrylamide concentration: flours had the lowest mean acrylamide content (185 μg/kg for mung bean), while wet-extracted proteins had the highest levels (748 μg/kg for chickpea) (Squeo et al, 2023). Therefore, the production technologies and the type of raw material have a major influence on acrylamide formation in these PBPI products, and various raw materials' precursors may be related to varietal factors (genotype), growth areas (environment), and agronomic practices (fertilization) (Trevisan et al, 2023a(Trevisan et al, , 2023b.…”

“…Nevertheless, Trevisan et al (2023b) explored the relationship between gluten strength, free ASN concentration, and bread quality for a wide-ranging set of hard red spring wheat samples. Results showed that gluten strength parameters were negatively correlated to free ASN levels in wheat, but reducing its concentration did not affect bread's overall quality (Trevisan et al, 2023b). Another potential strategy to address this issue is identifying wheat varieties that exhibit low free ASN concentration but high gluten strength through extensive screening and analyzing the underlying genetic and biochemical mechanisms.…”

“…Nevertheless, a significant challenge for businesses is the unpredictable and highly variable free ASN and reducing sugars content in their raw materials. For instance, the environmental impact on free ASN concentration in soft milling wheat products is the most significant risk factor for acrylamide formation, as free ASN is the primary precursor of acrylamide formation in cereal‐based products (Oddy et al., 2023; Trevisan et al., 2023b).…”