ABSTRACT
Commercial Argentinean wheat flours are commonly composed of at least two wheat cultivars to obtain products of constant quality. Flours from two different wheats (Buck Pronto [BP] and Klein Escudo [KE]) with different protein profiles and breadmaking performance were assayed. Glu-1 alleles are expressed in BP with 2, 7+8, 5+10 HMW glutenins subunits, while in KE 2, 7+9, 5+10 HMW glutenins subunits are present. Different sample blends (BP and KE) of 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100 were analyzed to relate composition of blends to the characteristics of dough and breads obtained from them. Physicochemical assays, alveograms, farinograms, and the SDS sedimentation test (SDSS test) were applied to characterize pure flours and blends. Rheological behavior of dough was studied by texture profile analysis (TPA) and dynamic assays. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze dough microstructure. Alveographic W and farinographic stability values of blends with ≤50% KE were higher than expected. The same behavior was observed in SDSS-test values, hardness (TPA), and rheometric assays. These results indicate that the performance of a cultivar like BP, rendering strong flours, would not be affected when a less strong flour is incorporated up to a certain proportion. However, bread quality of BP was superior to that of KE and BP-KE blends. The decrease in bread quality was particularly evident in the increase in the shape ratio (W/H). Correlations could be established among some textural parameters of dough (hardness and elasticity) and certain quality attributes of bread (crumb and crust hardness).
