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Title: PREDICTION OF SUGAR-SNAP COOKIE DIAMETER USING SUCROSE SOLVENT RETENTION CAPACITY, KERNEL TEXTURE, AND PROTEIN CONTENT FOR FLOURS PRODUCED USING THREE LABORATORY MILLING SYSTEMS

Author
item Gaines, Charles
item Finney, Patrick

Submitted to: Cereal Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2004
Publication Date: 7/7/2004
Citation: Gaines, C.S., Finney, P.L. 2004. Prediction of sugar-snap cookie diameter using sucrose solvent retention capacity, kernel texture, and protein content for flours produced using three laboratory milling systems. Cereal Chemistry. 81(4):549-552.

Interpretive Summary: Sugar-snap cookie diameter is an excellent indicator of general soft wheat pastry baking quality. For 65 years, the diameter of sugar-snap cookies has been used to inform breeders of new soft wheats how well those wheats will perform in typical pastry-type end-use applications such as cookies, crackers, cakes, pies, and Danish, etc. products. However, cookie baking during early testing of new wheats requires more wheat than breeders have. A test was used to predict cookie size from small quantities of flour, without having to bake cookies. Three prediction equations were developed for three different milling systems that produce slightly different milling qualities. The prediction equations can be used by breeders to more accurately predict at earlier stages of development whether those early generations of soft wheat will perform well as pastry wheats.

Technical Abstract: Wheat kernel texture determined during milling, sucrose solvent retention capacity, and protein content for soft wheat flours best predicted sugar-snap cookie diameter. A total of 507 wheats were milled using three laboratory milling systems (short, medium and long mill flow). Prediction equations were similar for all three mills. Standard errors of prediction were below 2% of the mean estimate. Lactic acid SRC, alkaline water retention capacity, and flour yield were not chosen for the prediction model, however lactic acid SRC was negatively correlated and flour yield was positively correlated with cookie diameter.