Investigating the Contribution of Blending on the Dough Rheology of Roller-Milled Hard Red Wheat

Abstract

The flour functionality and particle size distribution of wheat flour obtained on roller milling are dependent on the type of wheat, tempering conditions, and milling conditions. In this study, the impact of the tempering conditions (moisture and time) on the chemical and rheological properties of flour from blends of hard red wheat were analyzed. The wheat blends B1-25:75 (hard red spring (HRS)/hard red winter (HRW)), B2-50:50, and B3-75:25, which were tempered to 14%, 16%, and 18% for 16, 20, and 24 h, respectively, were milled using a laboratory-scale roller mill (Buhler MLU-202). Protein, damaged starch, and particle characteristics were influenced by blending, tempering, and milling streams. For all the blends, the protein content varied significantly among the break flour streams; the damaged starch content varied greatly in the reduction streams. The increased damaged starch content of the reduction streams proportionally increased water absorption (WA). Higher proportions of HRS in the blends significantly decreased the pasting temperature of the dough, as measured using Mixolab. Principal component analysis proved that the protein content was the key determinant in particle characteristics, WA, and pasting properties of the flour, especially in blends with a higher proportion of HRS.

Comprehensive Review of the Quality and Processing Suitability of U.S. Hard Red Spring Wheat: Current Strategies, Challenges, and Future Potential Scope

“…A similar observation has been reported in another experiment, in which dough properties were measured by Mixolab (Table 3). Blending 25%, 50%, and 75% HRS wheat with HRW wheat showed significant improvements (p < 0.05) in water absorption, protein content, and starch properties [23]. The mechanism behind the HRS blend is the increase in protein content, which also leads to improvements in the protein quality as well as starch granule type and distribution, influencing water absorption (WA) and other dough rheological properties.…”

“…The mechanism behind the HRS blend is the increase in protein content, which also leads to improvements in the protein quality as well as starch granule type and distribution, influencing water absorption (WA) and other dough rheological properties. Source: [23].…”

“…Also, due to the unique characteristics of HRS wheat, the processing requirements and quality standards particular to each product need to be optimized. For example, HRS wheat's strong viscoelasticity and gas retention are essential for achieving a good bread loaf volume and texture [23]. Numerous studies have explored specific processing methods for various bakery items, revealing that dough characteristics may need adjustment for different types of bread, such as artisan breads or sandwich loaves, which may require different blends compared to loaves of bread to achieve the desired quality.…”