Cereal Chem 72:621-624  |  VIEW ARTICLE

Compositional and Nutritional Characteristics of Spring Einkorn and Spelt Wheats.

E.-S. M. Abdel-Aal, P. Hucl, and F. W. Sosulski. Copyright 1995 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

One einkorn and five spring spelt accessions were grown at five and four locations in 1992 and 1993, respectively, and evaluated for their compositional and nutritional properties compared to common hard red spring (HRS) and durum wheats. Einkorn and two spelt accessions, SK0021 and PGR8801, were higher in soluble sugars, protein, and ash, whereas spelt accessions SK0505, SK0263, and RL5407 were higher in starch and fat. The accessions contained less total and insoluble dietary fiber than did common HRS, while soluble fiber was similar among the wheat species. Einkorn was significantly higher in phosphorus level, and all accessions exceeded the HRS wheat in potassium level. Einkorn tended to be high in riboflavin and pyridoxine compared with other wheats, whereas einkorn and spelt SK0263 and RL5407 were richer in beta-carotene and retinol equivalent than was common HRS wheat. Einkorn and spelt SK0021 and PGR8801 flours had higher protein contents than did common HRS flour. The gluten content of all wheat species was similar and constituted about 77% of total flour protein. The gliadin to glutenin ratios were 2:1 for einkorn; 1:1 for spelt SK0021 and PGR8801 and common HRS; and 0.8:1 for durum and spelt SK0505, SK0263, and RL5407 wheat flour proteins.