Cereal Chem. 73 (2):232-234  |  VIEW ARTICLE

Analytical Techniques and Instrumentation

Use of Friction Debranning to Evaluate Ash Distribution in Italian Durum Wheat Cultivars.

C. Fares (1), A. Troccoli, and N. Di Fonzo. (1) Corresponding author. Istituto Sperimentale per la Cerealicoltura, S.S. 16 Km. 675-71100 Foggia, Italy. Accepted November 1, 1995. This article is in the public domain and not copyrightable. It may be freely reprinted with customary crediting of the source. American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc., 1996. 

A new method to evaluate ash distribution patterns in durum wheat is proposed. Durum wheat samples (198) collected during two years from three locations in southern Italy were debranned by a friction debranning machine (Satake) at five successive time intervals (level(1,2,3,4,5)). Ash content of debranned samples (DAL(1,2,3,4,5)) and of whole kernel (WKA) was determined. Calculations indicated the percentage of ash removal (RAL) from the WKA after each debranning level. The weight of the material removed (WMR) during each debranning stage was also calculated. Statistical analysis showed the significant effect of debranning levels, years, locations, and cultivars. Differences among cultivars for ash distributions and WMR were noted. No association between DAL and WMR was found, showing that DAL could be a suitable measure of kernel ash gradient. In general, a diminishing ash trend was observed as debranning level increased. Almost all of the correlation coefficients between WKA and DAL(1,2,3,4,5) were high, both in general and for each cultivar. In general they were significant, showing DAL(1) as the most correlated.