U.S. Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Service
Gray Out of Wheat
[Running time:  ~ 1:20]

Welcome to “Focus on Ag Research” from the Agricultural Research Service or ARS.  ARS is the U S Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific research agency.

Have you ever noticed a grayish color when you popped open your favorite frozen biscuits? Or what about those dark marks on banana peels, and the browning that occurs in sliced apples? That discoloration is caused by an enzyme, called polyphenol oxidase, which is present in all plants.

Now, ARS scientists in Lincoln, Nebraska, have found a way to get the gray out of wheat products like fresh noodles, breads and refrigerated foods. They’ve developed a wheat that has no polyphenol oxidase. This new wheat line was created by crossing two Australian wheats, found in the A-R-S National Small Grains Collection. 

That’s good news for consumers and U.S. wheat producers alike. More Americans are acquiring a taste for white whole wheat breads. And products like fresh noodles, made from hard white wheat, remain popular in Asia. 

To learn more about this research, visit AgResearch magazine at www.agresearchmag.ars.usda.gov.  

That’s our podcast for today.  Thanks for listening.