Repeatability of Mice Consumption Discrimination of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Varieties across Field Experiments and Mouse Cohorts

Whole grain wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) foods can provide critical nutrients for health and nutrition in the human diet. Potential flavor differences among varieties can be examined using consumption discrimination of the house mouse (Mus musculus L.) as a model system. This study examines consistency and repeatability of the mouse model and potentially, wheat grain flavor. A single elimination tournament design was used to measure relative consumption preference for hard red spring and hard white spring varieties across all 3 experiments in combination with 2 mouse cohorts. Fifteen replicate mice were used in 24‐h trials to examine differences in preference among paired wheat varieties until an overall “winner” was established as the most highly preferred variety of wheat. In all 3 experiment–cohort combinations, the same varieties were preferred as the “winner” of both the hard red spring and hard white spring wheat varieties, Hollis and BR 7030, respectively. Despite the consistent preference for these varieties across experiments, the degree (magnitude) to which the mice preferred these varieties varied across experiments. For the hard white spring wheat varieties, the small number of varieties and confounding effects of experiment and cohort limited our ability to accurately gauge repeatability. Conversely, for the hard red spring wheat varieties, consumption preferences were consistent across experiments and mice cohorts. The single‐elimination tournament model was effective in providing repeatable results in an effort to more fully understand the mouse model system and possible flavor differences among wheat varieties.     

Optimizing Experimental Design Using the House Mouse (Mus musculus L.) as a Model for Determining Grain Feeding Preferences

There is little research evaluating flavor preferences among wheat varieties. We previously demonstrated that mice exert very strong preferences when given binary mixtures of wheat varieties. We plan to utilize mice to identify wheat genes associated with flavor, and then relate this back to human preferences. Here we explore the effects of experimental design including the number of days (from 1 to 4) and number of mice (from 2 to 15) in order to identify designs that provide significant statistical inferences while minimizing requirements for labor and animals. When mice expressed a significant preference between 2 wheat varieties, increasing the number of days (for a given number of mice) increased the significance level (decreased P‐values) for their preference, as expected, but with diminishing benefit as more days were added. However, increasing the number of mice (for a given number of days) provided a more dramatic log‐linear decrease in P‐values and thus increased statistical power. In conclusion, when evaluating mouse feeding preferences in binary mixtures of grain, an efficient experimental design would emphasize fewer days rather than fewer animals thus shortening the experiment duration and reducing the overall requirement for labor and animals.     

Antioxidant properties of commercial soft and hard winter wheats (Triticum aestivum L.) and their milling fractions

The total phenolic content (TPC), total antioxidant activity (TAA), 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging capacity, inhibition of coupled oxidation in a β‐carotene–linoleate model system, iron(II) chelation activity and inhibition of copper‐induced oxidation of human low‐density lipoprotein (hLDL) cholesterol of 80% ethanolic extracts of soft and hard winter wheat samples and their milling fractions, namely flour, germ, bran and shorts, were investigated. Soft wheat extracts examined demonstrated higher TPC and TAA compared to those of hard wheat extracts. The germ fraction possessed the highest TPC, followed by bran, shorts, whole grain and flour for both wheat types examined. The TAA of both wheat types showed similar results except that shorts performed better than bran in this assay. Free radical scavenging properties of whole grain and milling fractions of both soft and hard wheat samples were examined against DPPH radical. The germ and flour fractions demonstrated the highest and lowest DPPH radical scavenging activity, respectively, among wheat fractions. Wheat extracts were also efficient in preventing bleaching of β‐carotene, which is also known to be free radical mediated. In the iron(II) chelation assay the flour extracts demonstrated excellent activity, while the germ extracts showed a weak activity. The trends were similar in both soft and hard wheat for the iron(II) chelation assay. Wheat extracts also inhibited copper‐induced oxidation of hLDL. In LDL oxidation assay, wheat extracts performed better than the reference antioxidant, ferulic acid. Thus wheat phenolics may serve as effective antioxidative components as measured by in vitro techniques. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effect of Welsh Onion (Allium fistulosum L.) on Breadmaking Properties

Breadmaking properties, such as bread height and specific volume, were improved in bread, made with wheat flour blended with Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum L.) powder, which is high in di‐n‐propyl disulfide (Pro₂S₂). Breadmaking properties also were improved in bread prepared from wheat flour blended with Pro₂S₂ alone. Brabender farinographs of Welsh onion powder/wheat flour and Pro₂S₂/wheat flour showed interesting properties in modifying the width of the tail. Size‐exclusion high performance liquid chromatography of the wheat proteins in the control and blended flours showed a profile of low, medium, and high molecular weight peaks. The area of the high molecular weight peak was larger in the 2 blended flours than in control, indicating this protein was important for the improvement.     

Common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and its use as a brewing cereal – a review

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has a long tradition as a raw material for the production of malt and beer. Nevertheless, it has been studied to a much lesser extent than barley, which is the number one brewing cereal. The protein content of wheat ranges from about 6 to 20%, depending on the variety and baking characteristics, as well as on environmental conditions during growth. Since wheat is the most used cereal in the baking industry, the focus of wheat breeding and research has been about optimization for baking purposes (i.e. high protein content, stable falling numbers, constant baking qualities). It is well known that wheat varieties with a high protein content lead to problems in the brewing process. Therefore, varieties with a low protein content and with low viscosity values are favoured for malting and brewing. Since wheat beer yield has nearly doubled from 1990 to 2009, and is still increasing, more focus has been placed on conducting research on wheat for the malting and brewing industry. Currently, every tenth beer sold in Germany is a wheat beer. Therefore, it is of major interest to screen wheat varieties for brewing processability and to give more focus to wheat as a brewing cereal. In this review, a detailed characterization of wheat is given, particularly in regard to carbohydrates, pentosans, protein fractions and enzymes. The impact of wheat and its quality on the malting and brewing process is reviewed. Copyright © 2014 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling     

Nutritional properties of einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum L.)

The hulled wheat einkorn (Triticum monococcum L. ssp. monococcum), a staple food of early farmers for many thousand years, today is cropped only in small areas of the Mediterranean region and continental Europe. Increasing attention to the nutritional quality of foods has fostered renewed interest in this low‐impact crop. The reappraisal of einkorn quality evidenced that this ancient wheat has some dietary advantages over polyploid wheats. Einkorn wholemeal is poor in dietary fibre but rich in proteins, lipids (mostly unsaturated fatty acids), fructans and trace elements (including zinc and iron). The good concentration of several antioxidant compounds (carotenoids, tocols, conjugated polyphenols, alkylresorcinols and phytosterols) and low β‐amylase and lipoxygenase activities (which limit antioxidant degradation during food processing) contribute to the excellent nutritional properties of its flour, superior to those of other wheats. Conversely, einkorn has relatively low bound polyphenol content and high polyphenol oxidase activity. In spite of eliciting weaker toxic reactions than other Triticum species, einkorn is not suitable for coeliacs. Current trends towards the consumption of functional foods suggest that this cereal may still play a significant role in human consumption, especially in the development of new or special foods with superior nutritional quality. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry     

Arabinoxylan content and characterisation throughout the bread‐baking process

End‐use quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is influenced in a variety of ways by nonstarch polysaccharides, especially arabinoxylan (AX). The objective of this study was to track total and water‐extractable AX (TAX and WEAX, respectively) throughout the bread‐baking process, using wholemeal and refined flour. The TAX and WEAX content and the ratio of arabinose: xylose were assessed in flour, mixed dough, proofed dough and the bread loaf, which was separated into crumb, upper crust and bottom crust. Changes in TAX during the baking process differed between the refined flour and wholemeal samples, suggesting a change in the TAX availability which we ascribe to molecular interactions and heat treatment. WEAX content dramatically decreased during baking, suggesting that oxidative cross‐linkages rendered it unextractable. Higher levels of WEAX and lower levels of arabinose substitution were correlated with higher loaf volumes for refined flour among the hard wheat varieties. Having a better understanding of the importance of both WEAX content and arabinose substitution allows for directed breeding efforts towards improved hard wheat varieties for optimum bread baking.     

Influence of nitrogen fertilizer application rate on winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) flour quality and Chinese noodle quality

BACKGROUND: Understanding wheat flour noodle quality responses to N management will improve the quality of recommendations made to growers for specific end‐uses. Two winter wheat cultivars, with six N rates, planted during the course of a 2‐year experiment were used to determine the effect of N application rate on Chinese white noodle quality. RESULTS: Wheat flour protein content, development time (DT) and stability time (ST) increased with N application rate, maximal at 360 kg N ha^?1 and decreasing thereafter. When the N fertilizer application rate changed from 0 to 270 or 360 kg N ha^?1, redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) of both flour and noodle increased, while brightness (L*) decreased. The hardness and chewiness of cooked noodles improved at lower N application rate and degenerated at higher N rate. CONCLUSION: A low rate of N fertilizer application (from 0 to 270 kg N ha^?1) improved flour quality. Flour protein content and protein quality parameters displayed a significant negative correlation with brightness (L*) values. Generally, high flour protein content and protein quality, as well as good noodle texture, could be achieved by topdressing N fertilizer (in the range 270–360 kg N ha^?1). Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Panelist Texture Preferences Affect Sensory Evaluation of Green Bean Cultivars (Phaseohs vulgaris L.)

The effects of textural preferences on sensory intensity and hedonic scores assigned by consumer panelists (50 preferred “soft” and 38 “crisp” beans) to green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) of two cultivars cooked by 2 methods were studied. Boiled and 'Strike’beans were rated lighter than steamed and‘Mustang’beans.‘Mustang’beans were scored more acceptable for color, flavor, and overall likability. Soft textural preference panelists liked steamed beans less than boiled beans for texture, flavor, and overall likability. Hedonic scores assigned by panelists of crisp textural preference did not differ by preparation method. Selecting panelists without considering textural preferences may influence hedonic but not intensity scores.     

A critical examination of the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) sedimentation test for wheat meals

Sedimentation tests have long been used to characterise wheat flours and meals with the aim of predicting processing and end‐product qualities. However, the use of the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) sedimentation test for durum wheat (AACC International Approved Method 56–70) has not been characterised for hexaploid wheat varieties with a diverse range of protein quality and quantity. This paper reports the variation associated with important method parameters: sample weight, SDS concentration, technician, grinder and screen aperture (particle size). Sedimentation volumes were recorded every 5 min for 30 min and expressed as specific volume, i.e. sediment volume in mL g^?1 meal. Ten diverse hexaploid wheat samples of markedly different protein quality and quantity were examined. The SDS sedimentation assay was shown to be highly robust and reproducible, with ANOVA (analysis of variance) model R² values greater than 0.98 (individual time points). The procedure delineated soft and hard hexaploid wheat samples based on a combination of protein quantity and quality. Sample weight (if corrected to unit weight basis), recording time of at least 10 min, SDS stock concentration of at least 10 g L^?1 (final), grinder type and screen aperture were minor sources of variation in SDS sedimentation volume relative to the effects due to differences among wheat samples. Interactions among ANOVA model terms were of relatively minor importance. Published in 2007 by This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.     

小麦品种单籽粒性状的研究

小麦单籽粒鉴定法（ＳＫＣＳ）的发明使得小麦品种间和品种内单籽粒性状的研究成为可能,从而为小麦育种目标性状的制定,品种鉴定及品质评价带来了新的认识和信息,通过对１３个小麦品种（品系）单籽粒性状的研究认为,品种内单籽粒含量存在着较大的变化,单籽粒重量的变幅较为突出,且品种内的变化大于品种间的变化;个别品种籽粒宽度的变异系数较高;关中地区的小麦品种绝大多数为硬质麦,个别品种存在着籽粒质地不纯的现象,籽粒     

Color of whole-wheat foods prepared from a bright-white hard winter wheat and the phenolic acids in its coarse bran

Abstract: The color of wheat kernels often impacts the color and thereby the value of wheat‐based foods. A line of hard white winter wheat (B‐W HW) with bright appearing kernels has been developed at the Kansas State Agricultural Research Center. The objective of this study was to compare the color of several foods made from the B‐W HW wheat with those of 2 hard white wheat cultivars, Trego and Lakin. The B‐W HW kernels showed higher lightness (L*, 57.6) than Trego (55.5) and Lakin (56.8), and the increased lightness was carried over to its bran and whole‐wheat flour. Alkaline noodle and bread crumb made from the B‐W HW whole‐wheat flour showed slightly higher lightness (L*) than those made from Trego and Lakin. The sum of soluble and bound phenolics extracted from the 3 wheat brans, which had not been preextracted to remove lipids, was found to be 17.22 to 18.98 mg/g. The soluble phenolic acids in the brans were principally vanillic, ferulic, and syringic. The bound phenolic acids in the brans were dominated by ferulic, which accounted for 50.1% to 82.2% of total identified bound phenolic acids. Other bound phenolic acids were protocatechuic, caffeic, syringic, trans‐cinnamic, p‐hydroxybenzoic, p‐coumaric, and vanillic. The lightness (L*) values of coarse wheat brans correlated positively with their levels of bound protocatechuic (r = 0.72, P < 0.01) and p‐hydroxybenzoic acids (r = 0.75, P < 0.01).     

Wheat preharvest herbicide application,whole‐grain flour properties,yeast activity and the degradation of glyphosate in bread

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of wheat preharvest application of a glyphosate‐based herbicide (Roundup WeatherMax^® with Transorb^® 2 Technology) on whole‐grain flour composition and properties, including yeast activity. The effect of dough fermentation on the degradation of herbicide residues was also estimated. Grain samples from two hard red spring wheat varieties exceeded the maximum residue limits (5 mg kg^?1) in Canada. Glyphosate had minor effects on wheat kernels composition and properties, including fructans content and yeast gassing power. No degradation of Roundup^® or pure glyphosate was seen after dough fermentation for up to 4 h and baking. These results call for more scientific studies on glyphosate residues in wheat.     

Prebiotic effect of soluble fibres from modern and old durum-type wheat varieties on Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains

BACKGROUND: Wheat grains are a rich source of dietary fibres, particularly in the western human diet. Many of the health effects attributed to dietary fibres are believed to be related to their microbial fermentation in the gut. This study evaluated the ability of two potentially probiotic strains, Lactobacillus plantarum L12 and Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum B7003, to ferment soluble dietary fibres (SDFs) from modern and ancient durum‐type wheat grains. RESULTS: Fibre microbial utilisation was highly variable and dependent on the strain. SDFs from the varieties Svevo and Solex supported the growth of L. plantarum L12 the best, whereas those from the varieties Anco Marzio, Solex and Kamut^® Khorasan were good carbohydrate substrates for B. pseudocatenulatum B7003. The highest prebiotic activity scores (describing the extent to which prebiotics support selective growth of probiotics) for B7003 were obtained with SDFs from the varieties Solex (0.57), Kamut^® Khorasan (0.56) and Iride (0.55), whereas for L12 the highest scores were achieved with the varieties Orobel (0.63), Kamut^® Khorasan (0.56) and Solex (0.53). CONCLUSION: The present study has identified some SDFs from durum‐type wheat grains as suitable prebiotic substrates for the selective proliferation of B. pseudocatenulatum B7003 and L. plantarum L12 in vitro. The results provide the basis for the potential utilisation of wheat‐based prebiotics as a component of synbiotic formulations. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Amylose content and starch properties in emmer and durum wheat lines with different waxy proteins composition

BACKGROUND: Emmer wheat is a neglected crop that can be used in the breeding of modern durum wheat for quality. One important aspect of this quality is the starch composition, which is related to the waxy proteins. A collection of emmer wheat was analysed previously for waxy protein composition, and two new Wx‐B1 alleles were found by sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and DNA sequencing analysis. It is necessary to analyse the effect of these alleles in starch properties and compare them to durum wheat ones. RESULTS: In the current study, emmer lines carrying three different Wx‐B1 alleles (Wx‐B1b, ‐B1g, ‐B1c*), including one with the null allele (Wx‐B1b), together with durum cultivars Langdon (Wx‐B1a) and Mexicali (Wx‐B1c′), were analysed for amylose content. Differences were detected between both species, and the line lacking Wx‐B1 protein showed a remarkably low amylose content. In addition, data from blue value, swelling power and Rapid Visco Analyzer also suggested that there were differences in starch properties among the different Wx‐B1 alleles. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that the amylose content in emmer (Wx‐B1g) and durum (Wx‐B1a) standard materials is not the same; therefore some starch properties are different between the two species. The variation found could be used to enlarge the gene pool of durum wheat and design new materials with desirable amylose content. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Distribution of fatty acids in triacylglycerols and phospholipids from peas (Pisum sativum L.)

BACKGROUND: The fatty acid distribution of triacylglycerols (TAG) and major phospholipids (PL) obtained from four varieties of peas (Pisum sativum) was investigated. The total lipids extracted from the peas were separated by thin layer chromatography into seven fractions. RESULTS: The major lipid components were PL (52.2–61.3%) and TAG (31.2–40.3%), while hydrocarbons, steryl esters, free fatty acids and diacylglycerols (sn‐1,3 and sn‐1,2) were also present in minor proportions (5.6–9.2%). The main PL components isolated from the four varieties were phosphatidylcholine (42.3–49.2%), phosphatidylinositol (23.3–25.2%) and phosphatidylethanolamine (17.7–20.5%). Significant differences (P < 0.05) in fatty acid distribution were found for different pea varieties. Phosphatidylinositol was unique in that it had the highest saturated fatty acid content among the three PL. However, the principal characteristics of the fatty acid distribution in the TAG and three PL were evident among the four varieties: unsaturated fatty acids were predominantly located in the sn‐2 position while saturated fatty acids primarily occupied the sn‐1 or sn‐3 position in the oils of the peas. CONCLUSION: These results should be useful to both producers and consumers for the manufacture of pea foods in Japan. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

Oviposition by Sitophilus granarius (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in insect contaminated wheat

Experiments were carried out to determine whether Sitophilus granarius would lay eggs in contaminated wheat if clean wheat was available as an alternative. When grain was contaminated by allowing male or virgin female S. granarius to feed upon it for 1, 2 or 4 weeks, both laboratory strains tested preferred to lay on clean wheat. One strain showed a stronger preference for clean wheat over male-than female-contaminated wheat. The other strain, which in culture sometimes produces more than one offspring per grain, rejected male- and female-contaminated grain equally strongly. For both strains, the preference for clean wheat was greater when the period of contamination was longer.This behaviour could reduce the frequency of more than one egg being laid in one grain which could lead to mortality of the young stages through competition within the grain.     

Antioxidant Activity of Free and Bound Compounds in Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) Seeds in Comparison with Durum Wheat and Emmer

Abstract: Antioxidant activity (AA) of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) seeds, as well as of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum Desf.) and of emmer (T. turgidum L. ssp. dicoccum Schübler) grains, was evaluated by studying hydrophilic (H), lipophilic (L), free‐soluble (FSP) and insoluble‐bound (IBP) phenolic extracts using the new lipoxygenase/4‐nitroso‐N,N‐dimethylaniline (LOX/RNO) method, able to simultaneously detect different antioxidant mechanisms, as well as using the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) and the Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) assays, which measure the scavenging activity against peroxyl and ABTS [2,2′‐azino‐bis‐(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonate)] radicals, respectively. The species under study were compared with respect to the sum of AA values of H, L and FSP extracts (AA_H+L+FSP), containing freely solvent‐soluble antioxidants, and AA values of IBP extracts (AA_IBP), representing the phenolic fraction ester‐linked to insoluble cell wall polymers. The LOX/RNO and ORAC methods measured in quinoa flour a remarkable AA_H+L+FSP higher than durum wheat, although lower than emmer; according to the same assays, the IBP component of quinoa resulted less active than the durum wheat and emmer ones. The TEAC protocol also revealed a high AA_H+L+FSP for quinoa. Interestingly, the ratio AA_H+L+FSP/AA_H+L+FSP+IBP, as evaluated by the LOX/RNO and ORAC assays, resulted in quinoa higher than that of both durum wheat and emmer, and much higher than durum wheat, according to the TEAC protocol. This may suggest that antioxidants from quinoa seeds may be more readily accessible with respect to that of both the examined wheat species. Practical Applications: Quinoa seeds may represent an excellent source of natural antioxidant compounds and, in particular, of the free‐soluble antioxidant fraction. These compounds may improve nutritive and health‐beneficial properties of quinoa‐based gluten‐free products, thus expanding interest for quinoa utilization from celiac patients to the general population.     

Changes in pigment profile and surface colour of fig (Ficus carica L.) during drying

In this study, anthocyanins in three fresh fig varieties (Ficus carica L.) cultivated in Turkey were characterised and quantified by HPLC/DAD and HPLC/MS. In addition, the carotenoid composition of Sar?lop and Sar?zeybek, yellow fig varieties, was determined, and then the ripening‐ and drying‐related changes in carotenoids and surface colour of figs were monitored during conventional sun‐drying. Four different anthocyanins, cyanidin‐3‐glucoside, cyanidin‐3,5‐diglucoside, cyanidin‐3‐rutinoside (major anthocyanin) and pelargonidin‐3‐glucoside, were identified in samples. Lutein, zeaxanthin, β‐cryptoxanthin and β‐carotene were carotenoids in yellow fig varieties. Approximately 80% of carotenoid compounds in yellow fig varieties degraded at the end of drying (i.e. seventh day). L (lightness), a (redness and greenness) and b (yellowness and blueness) colour parameters were measured by Hunter Lab system. Great changes in carotenoid composition and surface colour were observed at ripening stage on tree. A significant reduction in L and b values that refers to browning in figs was made in the first 3 days of drying process.     

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Bran in Bread Making: A Critical Review

Wheat bran, a by‐product of the industrial roller milling of wheat, is increasingly added to food products because of its nutritional profile and physiological effects. Epidemiological data and scientific studies have demonstrated the health benefits of consuming bran‐rich or whole‐grain food products. However, incorporation of wheat bran in cereal‐based products negatively affects their production process. Furthermore, the organoleptic quality of the obtained products is mostly perceived as inferior to that of products based on refined wheat flour. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the impact of wheat bran on bread making, provides a comprehensive overview of the bran properties possibly involved, and discusses different strategies that have been evaluated up till now to counteract the detrimental effects of wheat bran on bread making.