Adherence within biological multilayered systems: Development and application of a peel test on wheat grain peripheral tissues

Abstract

The wheat grain is surrounded by a multilayered system composed of different tissues differing in their composition and mechanical properties. Up to now, these properties have been determined using classical tensile tests. However no methodology exists to evaluate the inter-tissular adherence. With this purpose, a micromechanical device adapted to wheat tissue (5 tissues with thickness varying from 2 to 55 μm) was built in order to investigate an interface of industrial interest for wheat processing (between the aleurone layer and the nucellar epidermis). Taking into account the complexity of the peel force measured, the stored elastic energy on the peel arms was estimated using tensile tests of peel arms and was found to approximate 0.15% of the total peel force at low peel rates. The energy dissipated was investigated as a function of peel test parameters (angle, curvature radius and rate), and seems to have a minimal influence when low peel rates were applied (20 μm s −1). The peel test was finally used to investigate the adherence distribution around the wheat grain using samples dissected in different directions. The bottom of the grain was the least adherent region, whereas the top of the grain towards the brush was the most adherent region. Even though the interpretation of the peel force was complex, this technique could be appropriate to evaluate the adherence within natural biological tissues.