Farinograph Vs. Alveograph in Predictive Modelling of Wheat Flours Quality

Abstract

Abstract The aim of the research was to determine to what extent the farinograph and alveograph parameters correlate with each other, and with the physical-chemical parameters, frequently used in the evaluation of wheat flours quality. Thus, 81 samples of wheat flours were analyzed. We found a better correlation of alveographic parameters, such as Extensibility and Mechanical Work (r2 varied between 0.48-0.51), with Protein content and Gluten content of flours, compared to farinographic parameters: Development time and Stability (r2 varied between 0.25-0.35). A poor correlation between farinographicand alveographic parameters was observed, the maximum value of the determination coefficient being r2=0.40, between Stability and Mechanical Work. The factorial analysis led to the highlight of four principal components. The first principal component was strongly correlated with the Protein content (including Gluten) of flours, with most farinographic (except for Water absorptin) and alveographic parameters (Mechanical work, W and Extensibility index, G). This component appears to express the tolerance of flours to the mechanical stress, exerted in the dough phase and their ability to preserve the own viscosity under mechanical stress conditions. The second principal component is related to the dough resistance to deformation, as expressed by the alveographic parameters Resistance and the P/L ratio. Principal components three and four were strongly correlated with flours ash (extraction degree) and amilolytic activity.