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Nutrient Content in Buckwheat Milling Fractions

¹Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, P.O. Box 2995, SI-1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia. ²Corresponding author. Phone: +386 1 423 1161. Fax: +386 1 517 1488. E-mail: ivan.kreft@guest.arnes.si ³Zito, d.d., Smartinska c. 154, SI-1529 Ljubljana, Slovenia. ⁴Faculty of Nutrition, Kobe Gakuin University, Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-2180, Japan. ⁵Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Askerceva 7, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. ⁶National Institute of Nutrition, Via Ardeatina, 546, I-00178 Roma, Italy.

Buckwheat seeds (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) were milled into 23 fractions: seven fine flours, three coarse flours, four small semolina, two big semolina, six bran, and one husk fraction. A considerable variation in gross chemical composition was found among the milling fractions. The protein content varied from 4.4 to 11.9% (db) in flours and from 19.2 to 31.3% in bran fractions; starch varied from 91.7 to 70.4% in flours and from 42.6 to 20.3 in bran. The percentage of soluble dietary fiber contained in total dietary fiber was higher in flours than in semolina and bran fractions. Ash, Fe, P, tannin, phytate content, and color were also investigated. A unique distribution of phytate was found in starch. Correlation is significantly positive in husk, bran, and semolina fractions, while correlation is significantly negative in flour fractions. Depending on technological or nutritional demands, appropriate fractions may be chosen to achieve the desired end-use product.