Collaborative study report: Automated measurement of wheat flour solvent retention capacity with the Chopin-SRC Instrument (AACCI Approved Method 56-15.01)

Authors: DUBAT, ARNAUD - Chopin Technologies; BERRA, MATHILDE - Chopin Technologies; Baik, Byung-Kee

Submitted to: Cereal Foods World
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/30/2019
Publication Date: 6/4/2019
Citation: Dubat, A., Berra, M., Baik, B.V. 2019. Collaborative study report: Automated measurement of wheat flour solvent retention capacity with the Chopin-SRC Instrument (AACCI Approved Method 56-15.01). Cereal Foods World. https://doi.org/10.1094/CFW-64-3-0033.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/CFW-64-3-0033

Interpretive Summary: The solvent retention capacity (SRC) test is a well-established method for the estimation of soft wheat flour functionality using four different solutions including lactic acid, sodium carbonate, sucrose and water; however, it is extremely operator-dependent, due to the need for consistent agitation in the initial hydration phase, and intermittent agitation thereafter, resulting in significant variation in the obtained values. An automated device that follows the main principles of the manual SRC test was developed to provide a more reproducible and repeatable method of conduction for the SRC test. A collaborative study was conducted with the participation of 11 laboratories representing a variety of different users including research institutes, milling companies, baking companies and the instrument developer to assess the performance of the automated SRC test in the evaluation of flour functionality. The 12 flour samples, of which two were blind duplicates, were used in the collaborative study so as to have the collaborators test the same blind duplicate samples twice without knowing it. The results obtained from the collaborative study prove that the automated SRC test is as reliable and reproducible as the manual SRC test, and yields test values with smaller inter-laboratory differences compared to the manual SRC test. The information provides soft wheat quality testing laboratories in research institutions and milling and baking companies with an assurance that the automated SRC test can be successfully used for the efficient and reliable determination of wheat flour SRC values in replacement of the manual SRC test.

Technical Abstract: Solvent retention capacity (SRC) is the analytical method measuring the contribution to water absorption of the main functional flour polymers (gluten protein, starch, pentosans). Originally established for evaluating soft wheat flour functionality in the United States of America (USA), the method is gaining acceptance worldwide and is now applied to many wheat types and disciplines in wheat variety development and flour processing across the globe. The first approved standardized method recognized in the industry was AACCI Approved Method 56-11.02. However, this manual method is extremely operator-dependent, due to the need for consistent agitation in the initial hydration phase, and intermittent agitation thereafter. This human execution difference can introduce variation in the results, making it difficult for the SRC parameters to be efficiently integrated to flour specifications. Laboratories have mechanized different parts of the method in attempts to improve accuracy and precision; however, no formal standardized solution has been introduced to the industry. To address this situation, CHOPIN Technologies developed an automated system, based on the concepts of the AACCI standard method, but aiming to eliminate all potential impacts of the operator on the test and standardize tubes and centrifugation conditions. This method has now been evaluated through a collaborative study involving twelve laboratories that analyzed twelve flour samples in duplicate with the four solvents (water, sucrose, sodium carbonate, and lactic acid).