{"title":"Harnessing Wheat Germplasm Diversity for Enhanced Nutritional Quality: A Multivariate Exploration","authors":"Antil Jain, Vishal Kondal, Amit Kumar Singh, Christine Jeyaseelan, Rakesh Bhardwaj, Jyoti Kumari, Anju Mahendru Singh, Sundeep Kumar, Gyanendra Pratap Singh","doi":"10.1002/cche.70043","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cche.70043","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The nutritional composition of wheat is pivotal for food security and public health, given its global significance as a staple crop. This study focuses on 274 diverse wheat germplasm accessions to evaluate the biochemical traits: starch, protein, amylose, total soluble sugars (TSSs), and phytic acid. This research seeks to provide insights that can inform variability in the nutritional composition of wheat germplasm and targeted breeding strategies designed to optimize dietary outcomes. The correlation matrix aids in identifying germplasm with desirable biochemical traits, such as high-protein accessions with lower starch or high-amylose accessions for improved functional properties.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Quantitative analysis revealed that starch content ranged from 52.30 to 76.49 g/100 g, while protein levels varied from 8.5% to 19.07%, exhibiting significant inverse correlations with starch (<i>r</i> = −0.61) and amylose (<i>r</i> = −0.96). Amylose content ranged from 7.87 to 17.59 g/100 g, and TSS levels ranged from 3.27 to 5.76 g/100 g. Phytic acid ranged from 0.39 to 1.13 g/100 g. Principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrated that the first two components explained 84.5% of the variance, while hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) identified three distinct clusters based on these nutritional traits.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This research provides a comprehensive overview of the genetic variability in wheat germplasm, facilitating targeted breeding strategies for developing nutrient-dense varieties. The robust correlation matrix supports the identification of specific germplasm suited for specific applications, promoting sustainable agriculture. Future investigations should focus on genomic interactions and sustainable methodologies to enhance long-term agricultural resilience.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":9807,"journal":{"name":"Cereal Chemistry","volume":"103 2","pages":"226-232"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147568026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Validation of a New Method for Flour Diastatic Activity (Maltose Value, MV): Collaborative Study","authors":"Hideki Okusu, Tatsuya Suyama, Yoshitaka Harada, Megumi Miyazaki","doi":"10.1002/cche.70039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cche.70039","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background and Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The diastatic activity of wheat flour is a critical parameter for assessing its fermentation potential in breadmaking. The conventional assay (AACC Approved Method 22-15.01) involves a 1-h enzymatic digestion of starch to maltose, followed by quantification of maltose via a standard reducing sugar titration. The result is reported as the Maltose Value (MV). This study introduces an alternative method that retains the initial 1-h digestion step but replaces the titration with a colorimetric assay. In this approach, maltose generated in the 1-h digestion is enzymatically converted to glucose using amyloglucosidase, and the resulting glucose is quantified using a glucose oxidase/peroxidase (GOPOD) reagent. The amount of maltose is then calculated stoichiometrically, assuming complete conversion of maltose to glucose. This new method offers a simpler and safer alternative to the traditional assay by eliminating the use of hazardous chemicals while maintaining accuracy in measuring diastatic activity.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Findings</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The newly developed method demonstrated strong correlation with the conventional titration-based assay exhibiting high repeatability and a low relative standard deviation (RSD<sub>r</sub> < 2%) in single-laboratory validation. In a collaborative study, 13 laboratories analyzed 12 wheat flour samples, comprising two samples from each of six distinct flour types with varying MV. All flours were milled in Japan from wheat sourced from the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan. Participants received randomly coded samples and conducted analyses under blinded conditions. Out of 72 individual data points collected, three pairs were identified as Cochran outliers. The estimated relative standard deviation of repeatability (RSD<sub>r</sub>) ranged from 1.2% to 3.9%, while the relative standard deviation of reproducibility (RSD<sub>R</sub>) ranged from 3.9% to 6.6%, indicating acceptable inter-laboratory consistency.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The variability observed in the statistical evaluation of the method falls well within acceptable limits for assays measuring diastatic activity. This novel approach offers a reliable and straightforward alternative to conventional methods, enabling accurate assessment of flour diastatic activity without the use of non-food-grade or unsafe chemicals.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":9807,"journal":{"name":"Cereal Chemistry","volume":"103 2","pages":"240-248"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147563710","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cereal ChemistryPub Date : 2026-03-26Epub Date: 2025-12-29DOI: 10.1002/cche.70035
Tadesse F. Teferra, Tariq Mahmood, Shuyu Liu, Joseph M. Awika, Amir M. H. Ibrahim, Jackie C. Rudd, Geraldine Opena, Shannon A. Baker, Jason A. Baker, Rhett C. Kaufman, David D. Baltensperger, Daniel D. Hathcoat
{"title":"Profiling Gluten Performance of Commercial Flour and Popular Texas Wheat Cultivars Using GlutoPeak","authors":"Tadesse F. Teferra, Tariq Mahmood, Shuyu Liu, Joseph M. Awika, Amir M. H. Ibrahim, Jackie C. Rudd, Geraldine Opena, Shannon A. Baker, Jason A. Baker, Rhett C. Kaufman, David D. Baltensperger, Daniel D. Hathcoat","doi":"10.1002/cche.70035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cche.70035","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background and Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The end-use quality attributes for wheat are important aspects of breeding and processing activities and are estimated based on rheological properties on gluten hydration and aggregation. GlutoPeak was used to profile gluten performance of commercial flour types and popular wheat cultivars grown in Texas as an alternative tool to Mixograph. GlutoPeak was also used for characterization of gluten strength of hard red winter wheat breeding lines from three locations over 2 years.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Findings</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The results showed that GlutoPeak parameters are consistent and yet distinct for samples of variable gluten strength. GlutoPeak torque values also followed similar trends for different locations, growing years, and test methods. GlutoPeak time to maximum torque (PMT) negatively and significantly correlated with Mixo midline Peak width (<i>r</i> = −0.46) and positively correlated with Mixo midline peak time (<i>r</i> = 0.67) and mixing tolerance (<i>r</i> = 0.57). The GlutoPeak maximum torque value positively and significantly correlated with Mixo midline peak width (<i>r</i> = 0.44), midline peak height (<i>r</i> = 0.52), and Mixo water absorption (<i>r</i> = 0.48).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The GlutoPeak maximum torque (BEM) exhibited stronger correlation with other GlutoPeak parameters. There was a negative correlation between BEM and PMT (<i>r</i> = −0.58) and a strong positive correlation between BEM versus protein content, water absorption, and wet gluten content (all with <i>r</i> = 0.89). The observed data and trends from GlutoPeak in comparison and association with SCKS, NIR, and Mixo present a potential screening capability at both breeding and industrial end-use quality monitoring endeavors. GlutoPeak might be a useful tool for rapidly screening breeding lines. Further research might be needed to standardize test conditions for wheat samples of various classes and flour samples for specialized applications.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Significance and Novelty</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>GlutoPeak might be a useful tool for a new rapid end-use quality analysis for wheat breeding programs and quick quality monitoring applications at small- and large-scale milling and bakery industries. The profiles of different classes of wheat (hard, soft) and various commercial flour samples might guide protocol development and optimization.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":9807,"journal":{"name":"Cereal Chemistry","volume":"103 2","pages":"165-180"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147570027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cereal ChemistryPub Date : 2026-03-26Epub Date: 2025-12-29DOI: 10.1002/cche.70036
Yeşim Bedir, Mehmet Murat Karaoğlu, Aslıhan Hanoğlu
{"title":"Rheological Behavior of Whole Wheat Flour: Role of Cleaning Method, Moisture, and Herbal Additives","authors":"Yeşim Bedir, Mehmet Murat Karaoğlu, Aslıhan Hanoğlu","doi":"10.1002/cche.70036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cche.70036","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background and Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Whole wheat flour (WWF) offers superior nutritional value compared to refined flour, but due to its composition, it exhibits lower dough performance and shelf life. This study investigated the effects of wheat cleaning methods (dry and wet), flour moisture content (8% and 14%), and the addition of antioxidant-rich herbal additives (rosehip seed and sage) on the rheological behavior of WWF and the changes in rheological properties during storage.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Findings</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Samples were evaluated using farinograph, extensibility, and dynamic rheology analyses for 180 days. The effects of the treatments varied depending on the rheological property evaluated. Dry cleaning and low moisture content (8%) significantly increased water absorption (up to 82.35%, <i>p</i> < 0.01) and improved viscoelastic strength. Dough stability during mixing reached the highest statistically significant level under dry cleaning with 14% moisture and rosehip addition (15 and 15 min, <i>p</i> < 0.01). Rosehip seed significantly improved extensibility (up to 43.71 mm, <i>p</i> < 0.01) and dough energy (up to 70.85 g s, <i>p</i> < 0.01), while sage generally reduced these properties due to phenolic-protein interactions. However, higher <i>K</i> values were determined in dynamic rheology analyses in samples with sage addition.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Optimal processing conditions for WWF varied depending on the targeted rheological parameter. However, the combination of dry cleaning, low moisture adjustment, and rosehip seed addition resulted in an overall more favorable rheological profile during storage.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Significance and Novelty</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>These findings demonstrate that simple processing modifications combined with natural antioxidant additives can improve the functional quality and rheological stability of WWF and offer practical clean label strategies for whole grain product development.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":9807,"journal":{"name":"Cereal Chemistry","volume":"103 2","pages":"181-193"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147570323","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cereal ChemistryPub Date : 2026-03-26Epub Date: 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1002/cche.70038
Amrit B K, Cassandra Walker, Joe Panozzo, Hafiz Suleria, Garry Rosewarne
{"title":"Understanding the Impact of Mild Wet Fractionation on Pea Starch Yield and Functional Properties","authors":"Amrit B K, Cassandra Walker, Joe Panozzo, Hafiz Suleria, Garry Rosewarne","doi":"10.1002/cche.70038","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cche.70038","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background and Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The extraction process can influence starch yield and functionality. However, little is known of the physicochemical and functional properties of starch extracted through a mild extraction process. This study investigated the effects of a mild alkaline wet-extraction method, based on sequential washing steps, on the composition, physicochemical, and functional properties of four starch fractions isolated from pea flour.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Findings</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Increasing the number of washing steps increased starch purity, ranging from 71.6% to 91.4% (w/w), but decreased starch recovery from 97.4% (w/w) to 80.4% (w/w). Fractionation did not significantly influence the average median particle size distribution, with median diameter (D<sub>50</sub>) values of all pea starch fractions ranging from 26.5 µm to 25.3 µm (<i>p</i> > 0.05). An intermediate fraction (PF2, Pea Fraction 2) exhibited higher amylose content, amylose/amylopectin ratios, and higher peak (575 RVU) and final viscosity (780 RVU) compared with other pea fractions and corn starch, whereas the most purified fraction (PF4, Pea Fraction 4) formed gels with higher hardness (13162.9 g) and cohesiveness (0.9). Thermal gelatinization temperature (Onset, Peak, Conclusion, <i>T</i><sub><i>O</i></sub>, <i>T</i><sub><i>P</i></sub>, <i>T</i><sub><i>C</i></sub>) decreased with an increasing number of washing steps. PF1 (Pea Fraction 1) exhibited the highest (<i>T</i><sub><i>O</i></sub> = 72.3, <i>T</i><sub><i>P</i></sub> = 73.4, <i>T</i><sub><i>C</i></sub> = 74.7°C), while PF4 showed the lowest (<i>T</i><sub><i>O</i></sub> = 61.2, <i>T</i><sub><i>P</i></sub> = 63.4, <i>T</i><sub><i>C</i></sub> = 66.1°C) gelatinization temperatures.</p>\u0000 \u0000 <p>These findings indicate that starch-rich ingredients obtained through fewer fractionation steps enabled pea starch to retain targeted functional properties, highlighting a trade-off between purity and functionality.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Significance and Novelty</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study provided valuable insights for industry, suggesting that less-refined ingredients, obtained through mild extraction processing, may offer novel functionality for specific food applications, potentially leading to more efficient, targeted, and cost-effective processing.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":9807,"journal":{"name":"Cereal Chemistry","volume":"103 2","pages":"203-214"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147564130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of Modified Atmosphere Storage With Different Oxygen Concentrations on Wheat Quality","authors":"Bang-Bang Li, Sheng-Ze Jiao, Wei Zhang, Shan Wei, Yang-Yong Lv, Yuan-Sen Hu","doi":"10.1002/cche.70029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cche.70029","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The quality of wheat seeds inevitably deteriorates during storage, so that how to delay the deterioration of wheat seeds has always been a focus for researchers. Modified atmosphere (MA) storage has been proven to be effective in prolonging the shelf life of food; however, there is little research on its application in wheat storage.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>To evaluate the impact of MA storage under different oxygen concentrations on the physiological and flour quality deterioration rate of wheat grains.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Wheat grains were stored for 180 days at 40°C in sealed pouches with four atmospheres: conventional air (control), 98% N₂ + 2% O₂, vacuum, and N₂. The vigor of wheat seeds and the edible quality of flour were compared and analyzed.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The content of reactive oxygen species in wheat seeds stored in a hypoxic atmosphere (98% N<sub>2</sub> + 2% O<sub>2</sub>, <i>P</i><sub>O2</sub> = 2.03 kPa) was the lowest, the activities of antioxidant enzymes and antioxidants were the highest, the protein was slightly oxidized, the cell integrity was the best, and the physiological activity of seeds was the strongest. Not only that, the gluten network structure of wheat flour stored in a hypoxic environment was relatively complete, and the gluten strength was strong; the wheat dough has the highest springiness and gumminess but the lowest hardness, chewiness, cohesiveness, and adhesiveness.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A hypoxic storage environment (98% N<sub>2</sub> + 2% O<sub>2</sub>, <i>P</i><sub>O2</sub> = 2.03 kPa) delayed protein oxidation of wheat, which was beneficial to maintain the physiological quality and edible quality of wheat.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":9807,"journal":{"name":"Cereal Chemistry","volume":"103 2","pages":"154-164"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147566578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}