Association of cookie quality with protein composition in soft wheats

MOIRAHI M.; VANZETTI L.; BAINOTTI C.; HELGUERA M.; LEÓN A.; RIBOTTA P.; PEREZ G.

Rosario. Argentina

Congreso; 1º Conferencia Latinoamericana ICC; 2007

High molecular weight glutenins (HMW-GS) affect significantly bread quality, however the effects of these proteins on cookies and pastry quality are poorly understood. Moreover, other proteins like puroindolines and secalins affect grain texture and the quality and end use of soft wheat flours. The solvent retention capacity profile (SRC) is a test used to evaluate functionality for end use applications and to select wheat for production of flour with a required functionality. The aim of this study was to associate the HMW-GS and secalins composition of fifty four soft wheat cultivars with cookie quality evaluated by SRC profile of flours and cookie factor. A sample of fifty-four introductions from a collection of soft wheats with diverse origin evaluated in INTA- Marcos Juarez during years 2004, 2005, 2006 was used in this study., HMW-GS, secalins and puroindoline composition were determined using SDS-PAGE, A-PAGE and PCR allele-specific markers. Total protein content, grain texture measured as particle size index (PSI), and solvent retention capacity (SRC) of flour were determined. Cookies were made and cookie factor, color and hardness were measured. Grain texture presented a wide range of hardness, from very hard to very soft (11.6-32.2 %PSI). Total protein content of flours was within 8.4% and 14.1%. A wide range of flour samples values was observed within each SRC parameters. Sodium carbonate SRC (carbSRC) was 62.23 – 98.68, with the average value of 74.57. Sucrose SRC (sucSRC) was 82.67 – 122.59, with the average value of 96.67. Lactic SRC (lacSRC) was 74.35 – 139.73 with the average value of 105.79. Water SRC (waterSRC) was 47.92 – 75.76 with the average value of 57.74. Significant negative correlations between % PSI and protein (-0.41), carbSRC (-0.30) and waterSRC (-0.39) were observed. The baking quality of flour was determined making cookies. The cookies obtained from wheat flours presented a wide range of cookie factor (CF) (4.34 – 7.56). The correlation analysis indicated a strong negative correlation between CF and sucSRC (-0.70), carbSRC (-0.70) and waterSRC (-0.75). As expected, a significant correlation between CF and PSI was obtained (0.48). The soft wheat cultivars with 6+8 and 7+8 Glu B-1 HMW-GS subunits showed significant higher CF and low sucrose water and carbonate SRC. On the other hand, the cultivars with 17+18 Glu B-1 yielded the lowest CF and significant higher SRC values. Presence of the 1BL/1RS rye translocation in wheat introductions showed a negative effect on cookie quality and high SRC values.  According to CF, the worst cookie quality flours were obtained from cultivars with mutated Pina-1D or Pinb-1D, which showed a hard grain texture. All this data suggest that allelic composition of HMW-GS, puroindolines and secalins can be useful tool to predict functionality of soft wheat cultivars for diverse products formulations in wheat breading programs. .