Effect of Pulse Pressure Treatment on Content of Protein and Some Sugars in Wheat Seeds

Abstract

Seeds of hard wheat (Triticum durum) were treated by pulse pressure (PP), generated by shock wave. Protein content was determined by spectroscopy in the nearest infrared point of the spectrum (NIR). HPLC was used for determining glucose level in samples. Moisture of control seeds was 14.2%. It was not changed in PP 11 MPa samples and was decreased by PP 29 MPa (12.8%); that indicated the damage of seeds. Protein content in control sample was 16.5%. The index was not changed by PP 11 MPa (16.9%), but it increased under PP 29 MPa (17.2%) due to the degradation of starch and relative elevation of protein level. Glucose content in PP 11 MPa samples was less than the control level, probably, due to the acceleration of amino-carbonyl reaction. PP 29 MPa promoted the increase of glucose content due to non-enzymatic starch hydrolysis activation. Thus PP 11 MPa made minor damages without the accumulation of glucose, but PP 29 MPa promoted the ageing due to the accumulation of glucose.