Total Yellow Pigment Research Articles

Usage of primitive wheat (Triticum monococcum and Triticum dicoccum) flour and whole egg in noodle production.

The aim of this study was to improve the nutritional value and functional properties of noodles with the utilization of different primitive wheat and also whole egg. For this purpose, flours of two different primitive wheat (Triticum monococcum and Triticum dicoccum) were used in noodle formulation replaced with wheat flour at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% ratio. Physical, chemical, textural, and functional properties of noodles were investigated. Noodle production was carried out with and without whole egg, and the effect of egg on noodle properties was also investigated. Noodle containing Triticum dicoccum showed higher levels of protein, fat, antioxidant activity, and total phenolic content compared to Triticum monococcum-containing samples. Whole egg usage significantly (p < 0.05) affected the ash, fat, protein content, antioxidant activity, total yellow pigment, color value (L*, a* and b*), and cooking properties of noodle samples. The increased ratio of primitive wheat flour significantly improved the overall measured chemical properties of the noodles. Sensory analysis showed that primitive wheat had closer sensory scores to each other, and their usage above 50% affected sensory parameters negatively, on the other hand, the use of egg in noodle formulation had a positive effect on all parameters.

Determination of the physical, chemical and antinutritional properties of firik and einkorn bulgur

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesHulled wheat varieties and immature grains are seen as interesting raw materials in the production of grain‐based products. More research is needed on the quality, functional and nutritional properties of einkorn and immature wheat products, which are processed and consumed by many societies under different names. This study was carried out to evaluate the physical and nutritional properties of einkorn bulgur and firik (bulgur produced from immature wheat) samples sold in the market.FindingsThe firik samples had higher ash, fat and free, bound and total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and lower protein content than einkorn bulgur. Low phytic acid content of firik obtained from immature wheat was found to be remarkable. The total yellow pigment, Ca and Mg contents were found to be 5.4, 1.3, and 1.3 times higher in firik samples than in einkorn bulgur. The weight increase value obtained as a result of the cooking test was found to be lower in firik samples compared to einkorn bulgur.ConclusionsBoth types of bulgur showed superior characteristics in terms of nutritional value and functional properties.Significance and NoveltyIt has been determined that firik and einkorn bulgur are two important products in terms of healthy nutrition with their functional components. It is an introductory study in terms of expanding the usage area of valuable ancient wheat and immature durum wheat and processing it into new products.

Utilization of germinated ancient wheat (Emmer and Einkorn) flours to improve functional and nutritional properties of bread

Germinated and untreated ancient (Einkorn and Emmer) and modern (Esperia) wheat flours (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%) were used in bread dough to improve functional and nutritional properties of bread according to (3 × 2 × 5) x 2 factorial design. Utilization of wheat varieties in the germinated form increased the ash, total dietary fiber (TDF), total yellow pigment (TYP), total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activities, Ca, Fe and Mg content of bread, and also the most increments in those values (except TYP) were observed in Emmer flour usage. Germinated wheat flour decreased the mean phytic acid contents of bread samples from 313.32 mg/100 g to 291.81 mg/100 g compared to untreated wheat flour. The use of ancient wheat flour (einkorn and emmer) gave lower bread volume compared to modern bread wheat flour. The use of germinated wheat flour decreased the crust and crumb L* values of the breads but increased the a* and b* values. As a result, increasing ratios of germinated ancient wheat flour increased the functional component and nutritional value of the bread, and at the same time, its usage at low ratio contributed positively to the technological quality of the bread.

Investigation on the impact of quality characteristics and storage stability of foxtail millet induced by air cold plasma.

The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of dielectric barrier discharge-air cold plasma (DBD-ACP, 15-35 kV, 2-12 min) on the quality of foxtail millets. The L and b* values were evaluated by a digital colorimeter representing that the color of millets was significantly changed at 25 kV for 4-12 min or at 35 kV for 2-12 min. The results were consistent with the change of total yellow pigment in millets, indicating that DBD-ACP damaged the carotenoids if the treatment condition was too high. The activity of lipoxygenase and lipase, involving the oxidation and hydrolysis of lipids of millet, decreased significantly induced by DBD-ACP. For example, the lipoxygenase and lipase activity of Mizhi millet was decreased from 44.0 to 18.7 U g-1min-1, 56.0-15.1 U/(mg pro) (p<0.05) after being exposed to 25 kV for 2-12 min, respectively. Changes of color, lipoxygenase and lipase activity, and malondialdehyde content of millets were determined during accelerated storage (40 ± 2°C and 75% Relative Humidity) for 15 days after being treated by DBD-ACP under 15 and 25 kV for 4 min. Results showed that millets treated by DBD-ACP at 15 kV kept a better color with lower malondialdehyde content, and lower lipoxygenase and lipase activity compared to control. This work implied that DBD-ACP is an underlying approach for the storage of foxtail millets.

Effect of germinated and heat-moisture treated ancient wheat on some quality attributes and bioactive components of noodles

Utilization of germinated and heat-moisture treated wheat in noodle formulation to improve bioactive components and technologic quality was investigated. Flour of untreated, germinated, heat-moisture treated germinated wheat varieties (Esperia, einkorn and emmer) were used at five ratios (0–60 %) in noodles according to (3 × 3 × 5) × 2 factorial design. Forty-five different noodle formulations were produced. Cooking loss values of the noodles raised with increasing ratios of germinated wheat flours. Heat-moisture treatment partially decreased the cooking loss of noodle prepared with germinated wheat flour. The ash, protein, phytic acid, total yellow pigment, total phenolic content, minerals (except K) and antioxidant activity values of the noodle increased with the inclusion of ancient wheat compared to modern wheat. These increases were much more evident with the use of germinated flours of modern and ancient wheat. While the germination process increased the bioactive components content, the heat-moisture treatment improved the technological quality of the noodle prepared from germinated wheat.

Effect of Kernel Size and Its Potential Interaction with Genotype on Key Quality Traits of Durum Wheat.

This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of kernel size and its potential interaction with genotype on durum wheat quality with emphases on kernel physical characteristics, milling performance, and color-related quality parameters. Wheat samples of seven genotypes, selected from the 2018 Canadian durum variety registration trial, were segregated into large (LK), medium (MK), and small-sized kernels (SK). In general, the kernel size greatly affected the durum wheat milling performance. Within a given size fraction, a strong impact of genotype was shown on the test weight of SK and the milling yields of MK and LK. Particularly, the MK fraction, segregated from the genotypes with superior milling quality, had a higher semolina yield than LK from the genotypes of inferior milling quality, inferring the importance of intrinsic physicochemical properties of durum kernels in affecting milling quality. SK exhibited inferior milling quality regardless of the genotypes selected. A strong impact of genotype was shown for the total yellow pigment (TYP) content and yellowness of semolina, while the kernel size had a significant impact on the brightness and redness of the semolina and pasta. Despite SK possessing much higher TYP, the semolina and pasta prepared from SK were lower in brightness and yellowness but with elevated redness.

Characterization of nutritional properties and aroma compounds in different colored kernel varieties of foxtail millet (Setaria italica)

Proximate compositions, color values, total yellow pigment contents, amino acids, fatty acids, mineral elements compositions, and aroma compounds of four foxtail millet varieties, namely Jigu 42, Henggu13, Henglvgu1, and Heinuogu, were evaluated. There were significant differences among the four foxtail millet varieties(p < 0.05). A total of 62 volatile compounds were quantitatively determined by combination of simultaneous distillation extraction (SDE) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The main flavor components contained 18 aldehydes, six alcohols, nine ketones, five acids, 10 hydrocarbons, 10 benzene derivatives, and four other components. Among 30 odor characteristics described compounds, the odor activity value (OAV) of 18 compounds was greater than 1, including nonanal, (Z)-2-nonenal, (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal, naphthalene dibutyl phthalate, and others. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) showed that minerals and aroma compounds with variable importance in projection (VIP) greater than 1 were the markers that distinguished the difference of foxtail millet varieties.

Carotenoid composition and expression of biosynthetic genes in yellow and white foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) Beauv

Foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) Beauv], an important minor crop in semi-arid regions of Northern China, is valued for its flavor, color and nutrition. In order to understand the relationship between carotenoid accumulation and expression of related genes in foxtail millet, two contrasting varieties were studied. 'Jingu21', which produces yellow millet and 'Zhisheng', white millet, were analyzed for the accumulation and composition of millet carotenoids and for the expression profiles of genes involved in their metabolism.The total yellow pigment content in Jingu21 was 19.23 mg kg−1 due to the high levels of lutein (13.58 mg kg−1) and zeaxathin (3.77 mg kg−1), whereas Zhisheng contained only 2.01 mg kg−1 with 0.81 mg kg−1 lutein and 0.22 mg kg−1 zeaxathin. The expression patterns of 14 carotenoid-related genes at different grain maturing stages indicated that the marked differences in the accumulation of carotenoids in foxtail millet might be explained by the continued up-regulation of SiPSY1 accompanied by the significant down-regulation of SiCCD1 in Jingu21.

Total Phenolic and Yellow Pigment Contents and Antioxidant Activities of Durum Wheat Milling Fractions.

The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of total yellow pigments, total phenolic compounds, and their antioxidant activities in various durum wheat milling fractions. Carotenoid composition of yellow pigment extract was also examined using UPLC. The ABTS radical scavenging activity of the milling fractions decreased in the order of short bran/bran > feed flour > flour/semolina in both total phenolic and total yellow pigment extracts. Yellow pigments extracts from bran, short bran, and feed flour exhibited 5.6–15.4% higher antioxidant activity than those of total phenolic extracts from the corresponding milling fractions. The UPLC results showed a non-carotenoid peak at Rt 0.47 min which was present in fractions of the grain outer layers but absent in semolina and flour. This peak absorbed in the UV range of 271 to 327 nm. These observations suggest that the unknown peak could be composed of phenolic compounds co-extracted in their free form with carotenoids in the polar water-saturated butanol solvent. The compounds in this peak could result in overestimation of carotenoid content and antioxidant activity in bran, short bran and feed flour as the peak contributed to 18.3–26.0% of total carotenoids if it was taken into account.

Effect of different production techniques on bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of einkorn (Triticum monococcum L.) and durum (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum) bulgur.

The influence of cooking (traditional, microwave, autoclave) and drying techniques (microwave and hot air) on bioactive compounds in the production of einkorn and durum bulgur were investigated. Total phenolic content (TPC), total yellow pigment (TYP), total antioxidant capacity (DPPH• , ABTS•+ , FRAP), soluble free (SF), soluble conjugated (SC) and insoluble bound (IB) phenolic acid contents of the samples were determined. For both wheats, a significant amount of antioxidant capacity was preserved after bulgur production. TPC was found to be higher in einkorn but it was exposed to greater loss during bulgur production than durum. The amount of TYP was found to be two-fold higher in einkorn than in durum. Ferulic acid was recorded as the most phenolic acid, and chlorogenic was the least phenolic acid in both wheats. The maximum loss during bulgur production was determined in the SC fraction for einkorn and in the SF fraction for durum. In respect of the results of the analysis, microwave cooking + hot air drying treatment could be favourable for bulgur production for both wheats. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Changes in Semolina Yellow Pigment Content and Carotenoid Composition During Pasta Processing

Changes in total yellow pigment (TYP) content and carotenoid composition were examined at different stages of pasta processing. Semolina samples were milled from durum genotypes with and without the Lpx‐B1.1 gene deletion and then processed into dry pasta. Significant pigment loss (12.8–15.3%) based on TYP content was observed from semolina to dough in genotypes without the gene deletion. Such loss remained low (2.0–2.8%) for genotypes with the Lpx‐B1.1 gene deletion. Extrusion and drying processes did not result in substantial pigment loss. The overall pigment loss (from semolina to dried pasta) of genotypes with the gene deletion was 9.1–12.8%, in comparison with 19.0–21.7% in genotypes without the deletion. Changes in carotenoids examined by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography showed that lutein decreased gradually from representing 80% of total carotenoids to 70% of total carotenoids during pasta processing. The reduction of lutein was mostly during dough mixing, with a decrease of 16.7% in genotypes with the Lpx‐B1.1 deletion and 27.8% in genotypes without the deletion. Minor carotenoids increased during pasta drying, possibly at the expense of lutein. Results of this study showed that although breeding for elevated yellow pigments is the key, pasta color can be further improved by reducing pigment losses at different stages of pasta processing through selection of genotypes with Lpx‐B1.1 deletion and applying a vacuum during mixing and extrusion processes.

Increasing Selenium and Yellow Pigment Concentrations in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L.) Grain with Foliar Application of Selenite.

Although addition of selenium (Se) is known to increase Se in crops, it is unclear whether exogenous Se is linked to nutritional and functional components in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.). In this study, we examined the potential of increasing Se and yellow pigment (YP) in foxtail millet grain by foliar application of Se. Field experiments were conducted during the growing season of foxtail millet in 2013 and 2014 to assess the effects of foliar spray of sodium selenite (10-210gSeha(-1)) on the yield, Se uptake and accumulation, total YP, and microminerals in the grain. Average grain yields with Se application were 5.60 and 4.53tha(-1) in the 2years, showing no significant differences from the unfertilized control. However, grain Se concentration increased linearly with Se application rate, by 8.92 and 6.09μgkg(-1) in the 2years with application of 1gSeha(-1) (maximum grain recovery rates of Se fertilizer, 52 and 28%). Likewise, total grain YP concentration markedly increased by 0.038 and 0.031mgkg(-1) in the 2years with application of 1gSeha(-1). Grain Mn, Cu, Fe, and Zn concentrations were not significantly affected by Se application. This study indicated that foliar application of Se effectively and reliably increased the concentrations of Se and YP in foxtail millet grain without affecting the yield or mineral micronutrient concentrations. Thus, foliar-applied selenite has a significant potential to increase the concentrations of selenium and YP (putative lutein (Shen, J Cereal Sci 61:86-93, 2015; Abdel-Aal, Cereal Chem 79:455-457, 2002; Abdel-Aal, J Agric Food Chem 55:787-794, 2007)) of foxtail millet and, thus, the health benefits of this crop.

Yellow Pigment Aurovertins Mediate Interactions between the Pathogenic Fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia and Its Nematode Host

Nematophagous fungi are globally distributed soil fungi and well-known natural predators of soil-dwelling nematodes. Pochonia chlamydosporia can be found in diverse nematode-suppressive soils as a parasite of nematode eggs and is one of the most studied potential biological control agents of nematodes. However, little is known about the functions of small molecules in the process of infection of nematodes by this parasitic fungus or about small-molecule-mediated interactions between the pathogenic fungus and its host. Our recent study demonstrated that a P. chlamydosporia strain isolated from root knots of tobacco infected by the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita produced a class of yellow pigment metabolite aurovertins, which induced the death of the free-living nematode Panagrellus redivevus. Here we report that nematicidal P. chlamydosporia strains obtained from the nematode worms tended to yield a total yellow pigment aurovertin production exceeding the inhibitory concentration shown in nematicidal bioassays. Aurovertin D was abundant in the pigment metabolites of P. chlamydosporia strains. Aurovertin D showed strong toxicity toward the root-knot nematode M. incognita and exerted profound and detrimental effects on the viability of Caenorhabditis elegans even at a subinhibitory concentration. Evaluation of the nematode mutation in the β subunit of F1-ATPase, together with the application of RNA interference in screening each subunit of F1FO-ATPase in the nematode worms, demonstrated that the β subunit of F1-ATPase might not be the specific target for aurovertins in nematodes. The resistance of C. elegans daf-2(e1370) and the hypersensitivity of C. elegans daf-16(mu86) to aurovertin D indicated that DAF-16/FOXO transcription factor in nematodes was triggered in response to the aurovertin attack. These findings advance our understanding of the roles of aurovertin production in the interactions between nematodes and the pathogen fungus P. chlamydosporia.

Genotype x Environment interaction for antioxidants and phytic acid contents in bread and durum wheat as influenced by climate

Antioxidants prevent oxidative stress and exert positive health effects. However, phytic acid among them decreases micronutrients absorption, representing also antinutrient to human and non-ruminant animals. Fifteen bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and 15 durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) genotypes were evaluated across six environments to determine contents of phytic acid (PA), inorganic P (Pi), total yellow pigment, total soluble phenolic compounds, free protein sulfhydryl groups (PSH), and also phytic acid P/Pi (Pp/Pi). The objective of this study was to quantify, for each trait the effects of environment, genotype, and their interaction; and the influence of climatic factors on the Genotype x Environment interaction (GEI) by the use of the factorial regression. GEI (P < 0.001) prevailed as source of variation over genotype (P < 0.001) in determining PA content in bread and durum wheat (44.3% and 34.7% of sum of squares-SS, respectively), PSH content in bread and durum wheat (27% and 28.4% of SS, respectively) and total soluble phenolic compounds content in durum wheat (35.5% of SS). The major contribution to the GEI represented climatic variables during stages of stem elongation for PA and phenolic compounds, and also flowering, fertilization, grain formation and grain filling for PSH. Total yellow pigment and Pi contents in bread and durum wheat were predominantly determined by genotype (P < 0.001). Models of climatic variables proved to be efficient in the explanation of more than 92% of the SS of GEI for PA and antioxidants contents.

Identification of carotenoids in foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and the effects of cooking methods on carotenoid content

Foxtail millet always has a bright yellow color due to the occurrence of yellow pigments, but these pigments have not been identified prior to this study. Additionally, foxtail millet color turns pale after cooking, resulting in a decrease in appearance quality. Therefore, the objective of the study was to establish a reliable approach to investigate the composition of carotenoids in foxtail millet and effects of processing methods on their content. UV/vis and HPLC-MS analyses revealed that carotenoids were mainly responsible for the yellow color of the foxtail millet, with a major composition of all-trans-lutein and all-trans-zeaxanthin. All tested nine foxtail millet cultivars exhibited similar carotenoid profiles. The total yellow pigment (TYP) content of nine foxtail cultivars was in the range of 12.98–22.55 mg/kg dry weight (DW), whilst the all-trans-lutein and all-trans-zeaxanthin content ranged from 6.18 to 13.99 mg/kg DW and from 0.80 to 0.96 mg/kg DW, respectively. Carotenoid degradation during cooking was responsible for the color change of foxtail millet. Atmospheric-pressure cooking method has a higher retention of the yellow pigments compared to micro-pressure and high-pressure cooking. These results provide information on the foxtail millet pigments and references for food processing technology for preparing suitable foxtail millet products.

Optimizing xanthophyll concentrations in diets to obtain well-pigmented yolks

The color of the egg yolk depends on the absorption and deposition of the carotenoids in the hen diet and represents a visual characteristic of great effect on the product acceptance. Corn is commonly used as an energy value ingredient for the hen diet formulations, but its pigmenting potential should also be considered for egg yolk color. The objective of this research was to optimize the proportions between yellow and red carotenoids in corn-based rations to provide the maximization of a yolk's color. For our study, Dekalb laying hens were individually allotted in cages to receive the 15 experimental diets defined by means of a central composite design in which the variables were the yellow xanthoplhylls from the diets (yellow corn + corn gluten meal), the yellow supplementary xanthoplhylls (lutein + zeaxanthin), and the red supplementary xanthoplhylls (cantaxanthin) at 3 concentrations each. Production traits were not influenced by treatments. Seven distinct colors were identified with the yolk color fan; the preferred one (9) was provided by the highest yellow pigment concentrations with no red pigments, whereas the most rejected one (14) was provided by the highest concentration of red pigment. The objective color was derived from the interaction between yellow and red xanthophylls, with an important effect of red supplementary xanthophylls on redness. Using response surface analyses, 0.5 mg/hen per day of red pigments and 1.5 mg/hen per day of total yellow pigments were enough to reach maximum redness (color index 14), whereas 2.0 mg/hen per day of total yellow xanthophylls were enough to reach local consumer preference (color index 9).

Simulating of Top-Cross system for enhancement of antioxidants in maize grain

Blue maize (Zea mays L.) is grown for its high content of antioxidants. Conversion of yellow and white to blue maize is time consuming because several genes affect blue color. After each backcross selfing is needed for color to be expressed. In order to overcome the problem of time and effort needed for conversion to blue kernel color, we have set a pilot experiment simulating a Top-cross system for increasing antioxidants in maize grain. The idea is to alternately sow six rows of sterile standard quality hybrid and two rows of blue maize in commercial production. Five commercial ZP hybrids were crossed with a blue pop-corn population. Xenia effect caused by cross-pollination produced blue grain on all hybrids in the same year. Chemical analyses of the grains of five selfed original hybrids, five cross-pollinated hybrids and selfed blue popcorn pollinator were performed. Cross-fertilization with blue popcorn had different impact on antioxidant capacity and phytonutrients, increasing them significantly in some but not all cross-pollinated hybrids. Popcorn blue pollinator had higher values for all the analyzed traits than either selfed or cross-pollinated hybrids. Selfed vs. pollinated hybrids showed significant difference for total antioxidant capacity (p&lt;0.1), total phenolics and total yellow pigments (p&lt;0.01), with the increase of total phenolics and decrease of total yellow pigments in pollinated ones. Total flavonoids showed a little non-significant decrease in pollinated hybrids, while total anthocyanins were not detected in selfed yellow hybrids. Blue maize obtained this way has shown good potential for growing high quality phytonutrient genotypes.

High yellow pigments production by root culture of Carthamus tinctorius and its release in medium under gas oil treatment

In this study, the ability of safflower-isolated root cultures to produce yellow pigments was tested. Initially, the growth of isolated roots in static liquid medium was evaluated with different volumes of culture medium. A volume of 6 ml of medium per flask of 250 ml gave the best growth performance and, in this condition of culture, production of pigments from isolated roots treated or not by light has been determined by spectrophotometry (321 and 400 nm). Under these conditions, the production of yellow pigments amounted to 13.18 mg g−1 fresh weight and the light stimulated the synthesis of these pigments by isolated roots. Total yellow pigments of 24.12, 38.91 and 46.38 mg g−1 fresh weight was produced by the roots treated with 9, 13.5 and 18% (v/v) gas oil, respectively, representing high values of production. The pigments were released in large quantities in the medium. The increased synthesis of pigments as a result of gas oil treatment was accompanied by a reduction of the peroxidase activity of roots. Given the high production of yellow pigments, systems of isolated root culture could be considered for the study of a larger scale production of safflower pigments widely used for various industrial purposes.

Carotenoid accumulation during grain development in durum wheat

Yellow pigment (YP) concentration is an important quality trait in durum wheat and is comprised primarily of carotenoids. The main objective of our study was to measure the accumulation of carotenoids during the grain fill period to improve our understanding of the physiological basis for differences among durum wheat cultivars. Thirteen genotypes with large variation in total YP concentration were studied. Spikes were sampled from replicated field plots in 2007 and 2008 at 14, 21, 28 and 35 days after heading (DAH). The remainder of each plot was harvested at grain maturity for analysis. trans-Lutein was the predominant carotenoid at maturity and was detected at 14 DAH in all genotypes. The rate and duration of lutein accumulation was variable among genotypes expressing high, intermediate and low YP. The accumulation of all carotenoids was lowest in genotypes expressing low YP, and suggests rate limitations early in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway. The ratio of trans-zeaxanthin to trans-lutein was inversely correlated with total YP and suggests that the β,ɛ branch of lycopene cyclization leading to α-carotene and thus lutein, synthesis may also be limiting in low-YP genotypes. These results provide insights into the regulation of the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway in durum wheat grain.

Phytochemical Quantification and Total Antioxidant Capacities of Emmer (Triticum dicoccon Schrank) and Einkorn (Triticum monococcum L.) Wheat Landraces

In this study, samples of 18 ancient wheat (12 emmer, 6 einkorn) and 2 bread wheat varieties grown in different regions of Turkey were examined for their total phenolics and flavonoids, phenolic acids, lutein, total yellow pigment, and total radical scavenging capacities against ABTS cation. Results showed that health beneficial phytochemicals and total antioxidant capacities were generally significantly different in emmer and einkorn wheat groups. Remarkably higher total antioxidant activity (18.31 +/- 1.31 micromol Trolox equiv/g), total phenolics (6.33 +/- 0.98 micromol gallic acid equiv/g), ferulic acid (662.95 +/- 61.07 microg/g), and flavonoids (1.61 +/- 0.34 micromol catechin equiv/g) content were detected in emmer wheat samples (n = 12), suggesting that they may have high potential for utilization as a novel grain, rich in natural antioxidants. In addition, quite high levels of lutein (7.33 +/- 2.43 microg/g) of einkorn samples (n = 6) hold the potential of developing high-lutein bakery products to considerably raise the dietary intake of carotenoids. These findings for ancient wheat varieties are considered to be very useful in breeding programs for selecting and breeding wheat varieties for higher concentration and better composition of health-beneficial phytochemicals.