AACCI Approved Methods Technical Committee Report: Collaborative Study for Flour Quality in a Pancake-Making Method (AACCI Approved Method 10-80.01) There exists a gap in predictive tests for high-moisture, low-gluten strength products. This category includes batter-based end-use products such as cakes, pancakes, and batters. Low-protein, weak-gluten strength classes of wheat are used in these products to avoid the tough, chewy products that result from gluten formation. Batter viscosity is closely associated with batter functionality and end-product quality. The lack of robust methods for evaluating flour quality in batter applications presents cultivar development programs with challenges in breeding wheat varieties that are well-adapted for use in batter systems in general and in pancake baking specifically. In addition, research on any batter-based product has been hindered by the lack of a consistent, basic pancake method. The AACC International Soft Wheat and Flour Products Technical Committee undertook a collaborative study on a method for pancake baking that could stand as a method for studying batter-based systems. A lean formulation for pancakes and appropriate testing protocols were developed. Preliminary testing and a minicollaborative study were conducted to determine the optimum chemical leavening system for use with pancakes. The results were encouraging, and the formulation was the subject of a collaborative trial among 11 participating laboratories in 2012. |