Cereal Chem 49:336 - 342.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
Preparation and Properties of Carbamoylethyl Wheat Flour.

H. E. Smith, H. C. Katz, S. H. Gordon, and C. R. Russell. Copyright 1972 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Ungelatinized, crude, and refined carbamoylethyl ethers of wheat flour (CEWF) were prepared by an alkali- catalyzed addition of acrylamide to flour. Best results were obtained from reactions run at 40 to 42 C. for 18 hr. Under these conditions yields of crude and refined CEWF's, based on the combined weights of dry flour and acrylamide, ranged from 77 to 86% and 73 to 84%, respectively. The CEWF's are stable, free-flowing, odorless, practically colorless, and exhibit shelf-life of more than 1 year without change in composition or performance. Differential infrared spectroscopy and nitrogen analyses suggest that carbamoylethyl groups were introduced into both the starch and gluten components of wheat flour during carbamoylethylation. Amylograph studies show that carbamoylethylation decreases the gelatinization temperature range and greatly improves the pasting characteristics of flour. Heat-gelatinized aqueous pastes of refined CEWF's (2% by weight) exhibit excellent clarity and film-forming properties and have Brookfield viscosities ranging from 375 to 715 cP. at 25 C. and 30 r.p.m. Addition of hypochlorite-treated CEWF at a 2% level to unbleached kraft furnishes gave handsheets exhibiting wet-tensile strength about 16-fold that of the control.