The Content of Tocols in South African Wheat; Impact on Nutritional Benefits.

Maryke Labuschagne,Angeline Van Biljon,Eva Johansson,Nomcebo Mkhatywa,Barend Wentzel

doi:10.3390/foods6110095

Maryke Labuschagne, Angeline Van Biljon + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/foods6110095

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Abstract

Wheat is a major component within human consumption, and due to the large intake of wheat, it has an impact on human nutritional health. This study aimed at an increased understanding of how the content and composition of tocols may be governed for increased nutritional benefit of wheat consumption. Therefore, ten South African wheat cultivars from three locations were fractionated into white and whole flour, the content and concentration of tocols were evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and vitamin E activity was determined. The content and composition of tocols and vitamin E activity differed with fractionation, genotype, environment, and their interaction. The highest tocol content (59.8 mg kg−1) was obtained in whole flour for the cultivar Elands grown in Ladybrand, while whole Caledon flour from Clarence resulted in the highest vitamin E activity (16.3 mg kg−1). The lowest vitamin E activity (1.9 mg kg−1) was found in the cultivar C1PAN3118 from Ladybrand. High values of tocotrienols were obtained in whole flour of the cultivars Caledon (30.5 mg kg−1 in Clarens), Elands (35.5 mg kg−1 in Ladybrand), and Limpopo (33.7 mg kg−1 in Bultfontein). The highest tocotrienol to tocopherol ratio was found in white flour (2.83) due to higher reduction of tocotrienols than of tocopherols at fractionation. The quantity and composition of tocols can be governed in wheat flour, primarily by the selection of fractionation method at flour production, but also complemented by selection of genetic material and the growing environment.

Highlights

Wheat is, together with rice, the major food crop in the world, supporting 20% of the daily energy for the human population [1]
Despite the fact that food from other origins might to a large extent have a higher relative content of certain compounds, wheat serves as a source of important nutritional components such as iron and zink, vitamin E, phenolics, and carotenoids [6]
The present study clearly shows that the quantity and composition of tocols can be governed in South African wheat flour; fractionation through milling is the major determinant, but the effect was found to interact with the selection of genetic material and the growing environment

Summary

Introduction

Together with rice, the major food crop in the world, supporting 20% of the daily energy for the human population [1]. In certain parts of the world, wheat is even the main staple food, contributing up to 70% of the daily energy and protein in the human diet [2]. Despite the fact that food from other origins might to a large extent have a higher relative content of certain compounds, wheat serves as a source of important nutritional components such as iron and zink, vitamin E, phenolics, and carotenoids [6]. Tocols cannot be produced by humans and are, important components of any diet, and they are obtained from a large number of plant based foods [6].

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