Location: Grain Quality and Structure Research
2023 Annual Report
Objectives
OBJECTIVE 1: Determine and improve analytical methods for the biochemical and macro-molecular interactions responsible for hard winter wheat end-use quality.
Sub-objective 1A: Establish connections between glutenin subunit composition and polymeric protein content and composition and functionality of hard winter wheat.
Subobjective 1B: Assess the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in the evaluation of tortilla quality, particularly changes that occur in tortillas during the staling process and compare to subjective analysis (rollability) and objective analysis.
OBJECTIVE 2: Evaluate and report the milling (processing and intrinsic end-use quality) parameters of hard winter wheat commercially-viable cultivars as part of a Congressionally-designated direct mission of service.
Subobjective 2A: Evaluate and screen the quality attributes of hard winter wheat experimental breeding lines and improve quality of existing hard winter wheat cultivars for end-product quality of the world’s wheat-based staples, such as bread (whole wheat), tortillas, noodles and other products desired by customer markets.
Subobjective 2B: Coordinate and conduct essential hard winter wheat projects of national importance, such as Wheat Quality Council (WQC), Regional Performance Nursery (RPN) and Hard Winter Wheat Crop Quality Survey (HWWCQS) for improvement of U.S wheat quality.
Approach
Cereal grains are the foundation of food and nutrition worldwide with the United States being a perennial leader in hard winter wheat (HWW) production. Thus, domestic and international customers come to expect high quality wheat from the Great Plains. That said, there continues to be challenging international competition for the global HWW market. To ensure the U.S. remains competitive both domestically and internationally, the end-use quality of hard HWW must continually be evaluated and improved. This project will identify the physical and biochemical components of hard winter wheat that contribute to functionality. In addition, we will evaluate the intrinsic end-use quality of hard winter wheat progenies for wheat breeding programs in the Great Plains Area as a regional wheat quality laboratory (Hard Winter Wheat Quality Laboratory, HWWQL). The HWWQL provides critical end-use quality data to the HWW growing region and conducts three annual evaluation projects that include the Wheat Quality Council Evaluations, Regional Performance Nursery Program and Hard Winter Wheat Crop Quality Survey, as well as hundreds of breeding lines from breeders in the Great Plains and adapted HWW areas of eastern States, such as NC, SC, GA, KY and VA. The data from these projects assist breeders, producers, millers, bakers and other key industry components, in making pivotal decisions regarding breeding, agronomics, processing and marketing of experimental and commercial wheat varieties.
Progress Report
Objective 1: Determine and improve analytical methods for the biochemical and macro-molecular interactions responsible for hard winter wheat end-use quality.
Wheat gluten is a large protein polymer with low solubility in its native state. Measurement of the polymer size is usually done after breaking it into smaller fragments. To measure the intact polymer size using asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (FFF), the best sample preparation has been shown to be by slowly dissolving the gluten in dilute acetic acid for 48 hours at room temperature. Measurement of gluten samples with diverse end-use qualities showed differences in gluten size. Experiments to determine the role of polymer size on end-use properties will be performed in 2024.
A sample of the wheat variety ‘Overley’ (16.5% protein content) was sorted using the newly built single kernel near infrared sorter. The samples were sorted into three different fractions based on protein content: less than 14%; 14 to 19%; and above 19%. After sorting the protein features were evaluated. The gluten protein size distribution ratios were measured using size-exclusion high pressure liquid chromatography. No significant difference was found between the unsorted wheat and the sorted fraction that had less than 14% protein. The 14 to 19% and above 19% protein fractions were significantly different from both the original and less than 14% protein sample. The sorter can accurately separate wheat kernels based on protein. This will help studies on the effects of sorting on processing performance of the sorted portions and evaluation of the corresponding flours. Wheat breeders may also benefit from using this sorter in selecting kernels with desirable traits.
Sub-objective 1B: Assess the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) in the evaluation of tortilla quality, particularly changes that occur in tortillas during the staling process and compare to subjective analysis (rollability) and objective analysis. Tortillas were evaluated for quality properties and NIRS.
The changes that occur in tortillas during storage (0 – 14 days) were measured using NIR. Additionally, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to evaluate changes in protein and starch during storage. The FTIR spectra shows changes in the starch and protein during storage that can be used to predict tortilla staling. This will provide improved analysis and will be incorporated into the experimental plan.
Objective 2: Evaluate and report the milling (processing and intrinsic end-use quality) parameters of hard winter wheat commercially viable cultivars as part of a Congressionally-designated direct mission of service.
Sub-objective 2A: Evaluate and screen the quality attributes of hard winter wheat experimental breeding lines and improve quality of existing hard winter wheat cultivars for end-product quality of the world’s wheat-based staples, such as bread (whole wheat), tortillas, noodles and other products desired by customer markets.
The wheat and flour quality characteristics of hard winter wheat experimental breeding lines were evaluated. Breeding programs from Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, West Virgina, Wyoming, and private breeders submitted samples for evaluation. Reports of over 40 quality parameters per sample were provided at stakeholder meetings and field days.
The Mixograph is the standard instrument for determining flour mixing properties. After more than 80 years the National Manufacturing Company will no longer be making the instrument. This presents a dilemma for wheat quality evaluation as instruments age and eventually wear out. To address this potential disruption, we are evaluating another instrument, the Brabender GlutoPeak as a tool for these measurements. The GlutoPeak is a rapid, small-scale instrument that measures torque and time required for optimal dough development (approximately 5-10 min) and requires only 10 g sample. Approximately 500 flour samples have been evaluated and data are being compared to the important properties that are obtained from the Mixograph.
Sub-objective 2B: Coordinate and conduct essential hard winter wheat projects of national importance, such as Wheat Quality Council (WQC), Regional Performance Nursery (RPN) and Hard Winter Wheat Crop Quality Survey (HWWCQS) for improvement of U.S wheat quality. The end-use quality of more than 2000 hard winter wheat breeding lines were tested. More than 40 quality characteristics were measured for each sample. The data was provided to the wheat industry in real-time during harvest and updated weekly.
Accomplishments
1. Annually coordinate and conduct essential hard winter wheat projects of national importance. The U.S. annually produces approximately 20 million acres of hard winter wheat (about 40% of total U.S. wheat production) in the Great Plains states, with a value exceeding $8 billion. ARS scientists in Manhattan, Kansas, completed the annual Hard Winter Wheat Crop Quality Survey in which over 600 individual and over 100 composite hard winter wheat samples were evaluated for milling and baking quality. The resulting data was posted in real-time to a webpage managed by Plains Grain Inc. as the harvest progressed. The data was also used by U.S. Wheat Associates in their final annual report for domestic and international customers. The evaluation of end-use quality during breeding of new wheat lines will identify wheat that does not meet important quality criteria and thus prevent these cultivars from entering the marketing system with potentially disastrous economic results.
2. Development of a single kernel model for sorting wheat based on protein content. Protein content is an important end-use quality in cereal grains. Several methods are available to measure protein content in grains including near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). NIRS is a rapid, high-throughput technique, especially when used to analyze whole grain. ARS researchers in Manhattan, Kansas, developed protein calibration models for the single kernel near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer that can sort kernels based on user-defined criteria. The single kernel result based protein model will be used for future studies, which allows sorting wheat kernels according to their protein contents as well as obtaining protein distribution features (protein range and standard deviation) of wheat samples. Wheat breeders could apply this technology and study the effects of planning low and high protein kernels in the breeding process. If commercialized, such sorting technology could help flour milling companies meet their customers’ requirements for flour protein contents better and at the same time add extra values to their flours by turning sorted low protein and high protein wheat portions into specialty flours.
Review Publications
Li, C., Tilley, M., Chen, Y., Silveru, K., Li, Y. 2023. Effect of bran particle size on rheology properties and baking quality of whole wheat flour from four different varieties. LWT - Food Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2023.114504.
Perez-Fajardo, M.A., Bean, S.R., Dogan, H. 2023. Effect of cricket protein powders on dough functionality. Cereal Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1002/cche.10652.
Perez-Fajardo, M.A., Bean, S.R., Ioerger, B., Tilley, M., Dogan, H. 2023. Characterization of cricket protein powder and impact of cricket protein powder replacement on wheat protein composition. Cereal Chemistry. 100,574-586. https://doi.org/10.1002/cche.10658.
Nkurikiye, E., Tilley, M., Siliveru, K., Li, Y. 2023. Bread-making properties of varying size pulse flours at different ratios of application in composites with refined wheat flour. Journal of Texture Studies. https://doi.org/10.1111/jtxs.12742.
