Wheat Quality Flashcards
What is Quality?
the degree to which something is suitable for a particular end-use.
Wheat quality is evaluated on the basis of….?
Purity - freedom from inseparable foreign material.
soundness - visual, physical, and chemical characteristics.
End-use suitability - usefulness for the manufacturing of flour, bread, pasta, noodles, cakes, cookies, feed, gluten, etc.
How is quality ensured?
Quality is ensured by the Variety Registration System (CFIA) and the Quality Assurance System (CGC).
Wheat grade is determined primarily by visual means. What is the exception to this?
Wheat grade is primarily determined visually (works well if the grader is trained). The only exception to this is test weight.
Grading standards are related to…?
Compositional, physical, and performance factors.
These standards are different depending on the market class in which the grain is graded.
Wheat Market Classes
Market classes are Canada Western Red Spring, Canada Western Hard White Spring, etc. they are designated in market class and then given a grade (No. 1, 2, or 3).
Grading Standards for CWRS wheat
test weight, variety, minimum hard virtuous kernels, soundness, and foreign material.
Test Weight
proportional to flour yield. it is a measure of starchy endosperm content.
To be No. 1 CWRS wheat, has to weigh a minimum of 75 kg/hL (60 lb/bu)
Variety
Registered varieties in the market class.
For No. 1, 2, and 3 CWRS, can be any variety designated as such by the Commission.
For CW Feed, cannot be amber durum or any variety of the CWSP class.
Minimum Hard Vitreous Kernels
Kernel Hardness. Hard-vitreous kernels are kernels that have a natural translucent colour.
Protein content, gluten strength, and weather damage all contribute to kernel hardness.
Must be above 65% hard kernels to be No 1 CWRS.
Degree of Soundness
a Measure of maturity, and environmental damage.
- damage
- fusarium infection
- discolouration
- frost
- immaturity
- shrunken kernels (hot/dry, immaturity, root rot)
- bleaching (sprouting)
Fusarium toxins
Deoxynicalenol, DON (vomitoxin)
Zearalenone
Foreign Materials
only affects grade if material in inseparable, otherwise considered dockage.
reduces milling yield, dark flour, speckiness, reduced shelf life, toxins.
How do sprouted kernels affect milling?
slight sprouting has minimal effect on milling performance. However, it increases alpha amylase activity and Cretes sticky dough, crumbs, open texture, greyish crumbs, dark crust, reduced loaf volume, poor loaf shape.
Sprouted kernels also lower kernel weight.
Ergot toxins
Contains alkaloids toxic to animals and humans. Contains lysergic acid which LSD comes from.
What are Protein Premiums?
May be paid for a protein concentration above some minimum level (depends on market).
Protein content in wheat is dependent on market class, variety, soil fertility, N-fertilization, weather.
Loaf volume is directly proportional to protein.
How is wheat test weight measured?
A 0.5 litre cup is filled and weighed.
Falling Number
a good sample will have a high falling number.
You will never have a falling number lower than 60 because after 60 seconds is when the probe begins to fall.
Sound grain will always have a higher falling number over sprouted grain.
Describe how Falling Number is Tested
A vat with boiling water measures how long it takes for a weighted probe to fall down through a plug of starch. therefore, it tests how thick the slurry of 25mL + ground wheat is. the thicker the better (probe falls slower, 5-7 minutes.)
