Evaluation of Strong Wheat Type 650 Flour Parameters with the Farinograph Instrument

Abstract

SUMMARY In Romania, one of the most popular instruments used to evaluate the rheological properties of the dough is the Farinograph. This de vice gives information regarding the modifications that appear in the rheological proper ties of the dough during the kneading process and allows the evaluation of the critical f actors that influence these properties, such as flour quality and strength (Codina, 2010). The eval uation and interpretation of the Farinograph was reported by several researchers lik e D’Appolonia, 1984; Mani, 1992; Shuey, 1972. The objectives of this study were to determin e some correlations between analytical parameters of wheat flour and Farinograph rheologic al data. The study was carried out on 25 strong wheat flours type 650. The analytical and rheological parameters (with Bra bender Farinograph) were determined according to the SR ISO approved methods (ASRO). The samples’ parameters were in the following range: 24.8-30.8 wet gluten, 10.25-13.65 protein content, 3-5.5, deformation index, 225-446, falling number index 13-14.42 humidity, 0.62-0.67 ash content. The range of the following parameters, determined from the resulting farinogram curves, were: 55-63 water absorption, 1.2-2.2 dough development time, 1.9-8.1 dough stability and 62-84 degree of softening. All results were duplicated. All the dat a was analyzed with the SPSS Inc., v.16. Between the analytical parameters of the analyzed flours an d the farinograph, there is a series of statistical ly determined correlations. The content of protein nat urally correlates with the quantity of wet gluten. A high significant correlation r=0.804 and p=0.01 w as obtained between these two parameters. In terms of parameter stability, this is influenced ma inly by gluten quality and also by the deformation index (r=0.578). The stability parameter is negativ ely correlated with the degree of softening parameter (r=-0.558), similar results being obtaine d by Dap cevic et al., 2009. The dough development time is strongly influenced by protein, starch properties and enzymatic activity, between this parameter and falling number index being a negative significant correlation of r=0.578. REFERENCES