Variability in Arabinoxylan,Xylanase Activity,and Xylanase Inhibitor Levels in Hard Spring Wheat

Arabinoxylans (AX), xylanase, and xylanase inhibitors have an important role in many cereal food processing applications. The effects of genotype, growing location, and their interaction (G × L) on AX, apparent xylanase activity, and apparent xylanase inhibition activity of Triticum aestivum xylanase inhibitor (TAXI) and xylanase inhibiting protein (XIP) were investigated for six hard red and six hard white spring wheat genotypes grown at three locations. Difference in total AX level among genotypes was not determined to a significant level by genotype. Instead, variability in total AX content was largely dependent on G × L. However, total AX content was significantly different between the two wheat classes. For bran xylanase activity, 25% of the variability could be attributed to G × L interaction. Moreover, there was significant difference between the bran xylanase activities in the two wheat classes. Bran TAXI activity and XIP activity were significantly different among genotypes. Genotype contributed 72% to the variability in TAXI activity and 39% in XIP. However, no significant difference was observed among the two wheat classes for TAXI or XIP activity. These results indicate that TAXI might be a stable parameter in segregating wheat genotypes with varying xylanase activity.     

Effect of Wheat Grain Steaming and Washing on Lipase Activity in Whole Grain Flour

During whole grain flour (WGF) storage, lipase activity causes partial loss of its functionality and the sensory acceptability of products produced from it. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of steaming and washing on lipase activity in (fractions of) wheat. Steam treatment conditions were optimized for wheat grains and their bran, shorts, and flour fractions. Lipase activities were determined colorimetrically, as were peroxidase, endoxylanase, and α‐amylase activities. Steaming grains for 180 s effectively inactivated lipase, peroxidase, endoxylanase, and part of the α‐amylase without gelatinizing starch. The work further demonstrated that lipase is mainly, if not only, located in the bran fraction. Separate bran treatment holds promise for obtaining WGF with reduced lipase activity but without altered functional properties. Washing grains did not reduce WGF lipase activity.     

Phytochemicals and antioxidant activity of milled fractions of different wheat varieties

The health-promoting effects of whole-grain consumption have been attributed in part to their unique phytochemical contents and profiles that complement those found in fruits and vegetables. Wheat is an important component of the human diet; however, little is known about the phytochemical profiles and total antioxidant activities of milled fractions of different wheat varieties. The objectives of this study were to investigate the distribution of phytochemicals (total phenolics, flavonoids, ferulic acid, and carotenoids) and to determine hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant activity in milled fractions (endosperm and bran/germ) of three different wheat varieties, two of which were grown in two environments. Grain samples of each of the wheat varieties were milled into endosperm and bran/germ fractions. Each fraction was extracted and analyzed for total phenolics, ferulic acid, flavonoids, carotenoid contents, and hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant activities. Total phenolic content of bran/germ fractions (2867-3120 micromol of gallic acid equiv/100 g) was 15-18-fold higher (p < 0.01) than that of respective endosperm fractions. Ferulic acid content ranged from 1005 to 1130 micromol/100 g in bran/germ fractions and from 15 to 21 micromol/100 g in the endosperm fractions. The bran/germ fraction flavonoid content was 740-940 micromol of catechin equiv/100 g. On average, bran/germ fractions of wheat had 4-fold more lutein, 12-fold more zeaxanthin, and 2-fold more beta-cryptoxanthin than the endosperm fractions. Hydrophilic antioxidant activity of bran/germ samples (7.1-16.4 micromol of vitamin C equiv/g) was 13-27-fold higher than that of the respective endosperm samples. Similarly, lipophilic antioxidant activity was 28-89-fold higher in the bran/germ fractions (1785-4669 nmol of vitamin E equiv/g). Hydrophilic antioxidant activity contribution to the total antioxidant activity (hydrophilic + lipophilic) was >80%. In whole-wheat flour, the bran/germ fraction contributed 83% of the total phenolic content, 79% of the total flavonoid content, 51% of the total lutein, 78% of the total zeaxanthin, 42% of the total beta-cryptoxanthin, 85% of the total hydrophilic antioxidant activity, and 94% of the total lipophilic antioxidant activity. Our results showed that different milled fractions of wheat have different profiles of both hydrophilic and lipophilic phytochemicals. These findings provide information necessary for evaluating contributions to good health and disease prevention from whole-wheat consumption.     

Spelt (Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta) as a source of breadmaking flours and bran naturally enriched in oleic acid and minerals but not phytic acid

The nutritional value of breadmaking cereal spelt (Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta) is said to be higher than that of common wheat (Triticum aestivum ssp. vulgare), but this traditional view is not substantiated by scientific evidence. In an attempt to clarify this issue, wholemeal and milling fractions (sieved flour, fine bran, and coarse bran) from nine dehulled spelt and five soft winter wheat samples were compared with regard to their lipid, fatty acid, and mineral contents. In addition, tocopherol (a biochemical marker of germ) was measured in all wholemeals, whereas phytic acid and phosphorus levels were determined in fine bran and coarse bran samples after 1 month of storage. Results showed that, on average, spelt wholemeals and milling fractions were higher in lipids and unsaturated fatty acids as compared to wheat, whereas tocopherol content was lower in spelt, suggesting that the higher lipid content of spelt may not be related to a higher germ proportion. Although milling fractionation produced similar proportions of flour and brans in spelt and wheat, it was found that ash, copper, iron, zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus contents were higher in spelt samples, especially in aleurone-rich fine bran and in coarse bran. Even though phosphorus content was higher in spelt than in wheat brans, phytic acid content showed the opposite trend and was 40% lower in spelt versus wheat fine bran, which may suggest that spelt has either a higher endogenous phytase activity or a lower phytic acid content than wheat. The results of this study give important indications on the real nutritional value of spelt compared to wheat. Moreover, they show that the Ca/Fe ratio, combined with that of oleate/palmitate, provides a highly discriminating tool to authenticate spelt from wheat flours and to face the growing issue of spelt flour adulteration. Finally, they suggest that aleurone differences, the nature of which still needs to be investigated, may account for the differential nutrient composition of spelt and wheat.     

TAXI type endoxylanase inhibitors in different cereals

An affinity-based purification procedure with the immobilized family 11 Bacillus subtilis endoxylanase XynA allowed us to obtain high yields of highly pure endoxylanase inhibitor fractions from rye, barley, and durum wheat. In contrast, no inhibitors interacting with the B. subtilis endoxylanase affinity column are present in corn, buckwheat, rice, and oats. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis and inhibitor specificity showed that the isolated inhibitors belonged to the TAXI endoxylanase inhibitor family, thus providing a view on the diversity of this cereal inhibitor family. The isolated inhibitors are basic proteins of ca. 40 kDa, occurring in two molecular forms, with pI values of ca. 8.5 (durum wheat) and ca. 9.0 (rye, barley). They are, in general, strong inhibitors of family 11 endoxylanases but not of family 10 endoxylanases. Because cereal endogenous endoxylanases belong to the latter family, this probably indicates that they do not influence cereal metabolic processes. For the first time, endoxylanase inhibitors, similar to TAXI I and TAXI II from wheat, were isolated from durum wheat and characterized. For each cereal, high-resolution cation exchange chromatography revealed the presence of multiple isoinhibitors, each of which occurs in two molecular forms. However, in durum wheat and barley, a single isoform is predominantly present.     

Composition and Distribution of Pentosans in Millstreams of Different Hard Spring Wheats

Six commercially grown samples of hard spring wheat were milled using a tandem Buhler laboratory mill. Individual flour streams and branny by‐products, as well as whole‐grain wheat and straight‐grade flour, were characterized in terms of total (TP), water‐extractable (WEP), and water‐unextractable (WUP) pentosans. One representative cultivar sample was analyzed for its ratio of arabinose to xylose (A/X). TP and WEP of whole grain wheat of the six samples had ranges of 5.45–7.32% and 0.62–0.90% (dm), respectively. Neither TP nor WEP of whole grain was related to ash content variation. There was significant variation in the distribution and composition of pentosans in 16 millstreams of all the wheat samples, including bran and shorts fractions; TP and WEP contents had ranges of 1.69–32.4% and 0.42–1.76% (dm), respectively. When ash contents exceeded ≈0.6% (dm), strong positive correlations were obtained between ash and TP contents, and between ash and WUP contents for all the millstreams. Among bran and shorts fractions, TP and WUP content increased in the order of coarse bran > fine bran > shorts; while WEP, WEP/WUP and A/X showed the opposite pattern of variation of shorts > fine bran > coarse bran. Bran and shorts fractions had pentosan contents several times higher than would be predicted from the relationship between pentosan and ash contents of the flour streams. Pentosans therefore represented a much more sensitive marker of flour refinement compared with ash content. Pentosans of endosperm were substantially different in their extractability and composition from those of bran. On this basis, different functionalities of pentosans of bran and endosperm would be expected. Results demonstrated the importance of milling extraction and millstream blending in the functionality and quality of wheat flour for breadmaking.     

Impact of wheat flour-associated endoxylanases on arabinoxylan in dough after mixing and resting

The impact of varying levels of endoxylanase activity in wheat flour on arabinoxylan (AX) in mixed and rested dough was studied using eight industrially milled wheat flour fractions with varying endoxylanase activity levels. Analysis of the levels of reducing end xylose (RX) and solubilized AX (S-AX) formed during mixing and resting and their correlation with the endoxylanase activity in the flour milling fractions showed that solubilization of AX during the mixing phase is mainly due to mechanical forces, while solubilization of AX during resting is caused by endoxylanase activity. Moreover, solubilization of AX during the dough resting phase is more outspoken than that during the mixing phase. Besides endoxylanase activity, there were significant xylosidase and arabinofuranosidase activities during the dough resting phase. The results indicate that wheat flour-associated endoxylanases can alter part of the AX in dough, thereby changing their functionality in bread making and potentially affecting dough and end product properties.     

Endoxylanases in durum wheat semolina processing: solubilization of arabinoxylans, action of endogenous inhibitors, and effects on rheological properties

Endoxylanases seriously affect the rheological properties of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) semolina spaghetti doughs prepared with, and as evaluated, by the farinograph. Under the experimental conditions, control doughs (34.9% moisture content) made from two semolinas (semA and semB) yielded a maximal consistency of 525 and 517 farinograph units (FU), with, respectively, 19.4 and 16.4% of the total level of arabinoxylans (TOT-AX) being water-extractable (WE-AX). When 75.4 Somogyi units/50 g of semolina of the endoxylanases from Trichoderma viride (XTV), rumen microorganisms (XRM), Bacillus subtilis (XBS), and Aspergillus niger (XAN) were used, the maximal consistencies at 34.9% moisture decreased for semA to 467, 436, 448, and 417 FU, respectively. This was accompanied by increased WE-AX contents of 60.8, 71.2, 70.7, and 73.0%, respectively. Similar results were observed for semB. By reducing the total water content of doughs, it was possible to recover the maximal consistency of the original doughs. Both the decrease in maximal consistency and the amount of water to be omitted were significantly related to the decrease in molecular weight (MW) of the WE-AX and the percentage of WE-AX solubilized as a result of the enzymic action. At the same time, it was clear that endogenous endoxylanase inhibitors were present in the durum wheat semolinas and that they inhibited the endoxylanases used to different degrees. Part of the differences in effects between the different endoxylanases (decrease in maximal consistency, amount of AX solubilized, MWs of the WE-AX, and amount of water that could be omitted) could be ascribed to the differences in inhibition of the endoxylanases by endogenous inhibitors.     

Distribution of Redox Enzymes in Millstreams and Relationships to Chemical and Baking Properties of Flour

Millstream flours, bran, pollard, and germ fractions were prepared from two Australian and two New Zealand wheat cultivars using a pilot‐scale roller mill. The distribution of six redox enzymes in milling fractions and the relationship of the enzymes to baking parameters were investigated. Lipoxygenase (LOX), dehydroascorbate reductase (DAR), and protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) tended to be higher in the tail‐end fractions of break and reduction flour streams, but the highest levels were in the bran, pollard, and germ fractions. These enzymes had moderate to strong correlations with ash content of flour. These results indicated that a considerable amount of these enzymes in the tail‐end flour streams were likely to be derived from contamination with bran, aleurone, or germ components of grain. Peroxidase (POX) tended to be higher in the break flours, but polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and ascorbate oxidase (AOX) tended to be evenly distributed in the millstream flours. These three enzymes generally had poor correlations with ash and baking parameters. LOX and DAR had a negative correlation with the baking quality of bread made in the absence of ascorbic acid (AA) but a poor correlation with improvement of bread quality made with AA. The negative correlation probably reflects the high content of ash (hence trichomes), glutathione, and protein thiols in those fractions that have high LOX and DAR, and these high‐reducing‐power components and trichomes in flour may be the actual cause of poor quality bread. PDI generally had a poor correlation with bread quality in the absence of AA but a significant positive correlation with improvement in the quality of bread made with AA. It thus seems that the endogenous levels of these six enzymes were not a limiting factor in the breadmaking process, except for PDI, the levels of which may have positively influenced breadmaking in the presence of AA.     

Tocopherol and Tocotrienol Content in Commercial Wheat Mill Streams

The content of tocopherols and tocotrienols, collectively known as vitamin E (tocols), was determined in fractions of roller‐milled wheat grains. The results showed that vitamin E components are present in all major flour fractions of wheat, but that the vitamin E content and composition differed significantly between fractions. The total content of vitamin E, calculated as alpha‐tocopherol equivalents, changed from 16.1 mg α‐TE/g in wheat grain to 12.2 mg α‐TE/g in roller‐milled wheat flour. The germ fraction had the highest content of tocopherols, and the content of α‐tocopherol (195.2 μg/g) was 16 times higher (on average) than in any other fraction. The content of tocotrienols was distributed more uniform in the wheat grain with the highest content in the bran fractions, and the content of β‐tocotrienol was higher than the content of α‐tocopherol in all milling fractions except the wheat germ. The content of β‐tocotrienol was 24.1 μg/g in wheat grain, 25.3–31.0 μg/g in the bran fractions, and 14.3–21.9 μg/g in the fractions of endosperm. Overall, germ and fine bran fractions represent good sources of vitamin E and might be used in breadmaking.     

Effects of Added Minerals on Pasting of Partial Waxy Wheat Flour and Starch and on Noodle Making Properties

Mineral content, as determined and expressed by ash content, serves as an index of wheat flour quality for flour millers and food manufacturers who prefer flour of low mineral content, even though the significance of mineral content on the functional properties of wheat flour is not well understood. We explored whether minerals have any influence on the functional properties of wheat flour and product quality of white salted noodles. Ash, obtained by incinerating wheat bran, was incorporated into two hard white spring wheat flours and their starches to raise the total ash content to 1, 1.5, or 2%. Pasting properties were determined using a rapid visco analyzer (RVA). Addition of ash increased the peak viscosity of the flours in both water and buffer solution but did not affect the peak viscosity of starch. Wheat flours with added ash showed lower pasting temperature by approximately 10°C in buffer solution. Mineral extracts (15.3% ash) isolated from wheat bran, when added to increase the ash content of wheat flour and starch to 2%, increased the peak viscosity and lowered the pasting temperature of flour by 13.2–16.3% but did not affect the pasting properties of the isolated starch. The mineral premix also increased peak viscosity of wheat flour but not in starch. Added ash increased noodle thickness and lowered water retention of cooked noodles while it exhibited no significant effect on cooked noodle texture as determined using a texture analyzer.     

Endoxylanase Inhibition Activity in Different European Wheat Cultivars and Milling Fractions

Twenty‐three wheat samples from 19 different European wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.) were tested for their quantitative and qualitative variation in inhibition activity against family 11 endoxylanases of Aspergillus niger, Bacillus subtilis, and Trichoderma viride and a family 10 endoxylanase of A. aculeatus. Under the experimental conditions, the A. aculeatus enzyme was not inhibited by the wheat extracts, the A. niger and B. subtilis endoxylanases were affected to a similar extent, while the T. viride enzyme was much more inhibited. The inhibition activities in the different wheat samples against the A. niger, B. subtilis, and T. viride endoxylanases varied between 36.0 and 11.7, 34.0 and 12.9, and 86.2 and 46.6 IU/100 mg of dry whole meal, respectively. One IU (inhibition unit) corresponds to the amount of inhibitor resulting in 50% inhibition of endoxylanase activity under the conditions of the assay. The inhibitor activities were linearly related, indicating that the levels of different endoxylanase inhibitors with different endoxylanase specificities in the dormant wheat grains are also linearly related or that one (or more) of these inhibitors are predominantly present or has much higher specific activity, consequently causing almost all of the inhibition activity measured. Wheat flour accounted for ≈57% of the total inhibition activity in wheat grains, while the shorts and bran fractions each contained ≈21% of the total activity. On dry weight basis, the inhibition activities were about three times higher in shorts and about two times higher in bran than in flour. The results obtained may be useful in explaining differences in functionality of different endoxylanases in biotechnological processes in which wheats of different cultivars, or fractions thereof, are used as well as in screening endoxylanases for applications in wheat‐based processes.     

Distribution of Glutathione in Millstreams and Relationships to Chemical and Baking Properties of Flour

Fourteen millstream flours, a straight‐run flour, bran, pollard, and germ were prepared separately from two Australian and two New Zealand wheat cultivars using a 650 kg/hr pilot roller mill. Glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) were measured in all samples. The Australian cultivars had higher levels of GSH and GSSG than the New Zealand cultivars, and in all cultivars the levels in pollard and germ were considerably higher than in flour samples. Generally, the early break flours and early reduction flours had lower GSSH/GSSG levels than the tail‐end break and reduction flours. There was a strong correlation between GSH/GSSG and ash content in millstream flours, which indicated that much of the GSH/GSSG in the flour was likely to have derived from contamination by bran, aleurone (pollard), and germ. There were also moderate to strong correlations between GSH/GSSG and the cysteine content of all proteins in flour. GSH/GSSG correlated strongly with the albumin and globulin content of flour but not with gliadin and glutenin. The volume and crumb texture properties of bread made with millstream flours in the absence of ascorbic acid (AA) were negatively correlated with GSH/GSSG. The change in bread volume and texture properties when AA was added to dough (baking improver effect of AA), however, were poorly correlated with GSH/GSSG.     

Plant Sterols in Cereals and Cereal Products

The total plant sterol contents (free sterols and covalently bound structures) of the main cereals cultivated in Finland were determined. Furthermore, sterol contents were determined for different flour and bran fractions in the milling process of wheat and rye, as well as plant sterol contents in various milling and retail bakery products. The sample preparation procedure included acid and alkaline hydrolysis to liberate sterols from their glycosides and esters, respectively. Free sterols were extracted and, after recovery using solid‐phase extraction, derivatized to trimethylsilyl ethers for gas chromatography (GC) analysis. We used GC with a mass spectrometer (MS) for identification. When two cultivars of rye, wheat, barley, and oats grown in the same year were compared, the highest plant sterol content was observed in rye (mean content 95.5 mg/100 g, wb), whereas the total sterol contents (mg/100 g, wb) of wheat, barley, and oats were 69.0, 76.1, and 44.7, respectively. In addition, the 10 rye cultivars and breeding lines compared had total sterol contents of 70.7–85.6 mg/100 g. In the milling process of rye and wheat, the plant sterols fractionated according to the ash content of the corresponding milling product. In all cereal grain and milling product samples, sitosterol was the main sterol. The level of stanols differed in the different milling process samples; it was lower in the most refined rye and wheat flours (≈15%) than in the bran fractions (≈30% in the bran with 4% ash content). Rye bread with whole meal rye flour as the main or only ingredient was a good source of sterols. Sterol content was higher than that of wheat bread, whereas plant sterol content of other bakery products was affected by the type and amount of fat used in baking.     

麸皮面粉面团的粉质和拉伸特性

为了探讨麸皮对小麦面粉品质的影响,将微粉碎后的燕麦麸细粉、小麦麸细粉与小麦粉按混料配方均匀设计制备麸皮面粉,用粉质仪和拉伸仪测定了麸皮面粉的面团流变学特性,并对麸皮面粉各组分含量与流变学参数间的相关性进行分析。结果表明,随着麸皮含量的增加,麸皮面粉面团的吸水率增大,形成时间变化不大,稳定时间不断减少;弱化度和粉质指数在不同样品变化较大,以样品3粉质特性(即小麦粉88.5%,燕麦麸细粉10.20%,小麦麸1.39%)最优;相同醒发时间下,随着麸皮总含量的增加,面团的拉伸曲线面积、延伸度、拉伸阻力及最大拉伸阻力均呈下降趋势;拉伸参数均随醒发时间而呈上升趋势。与面团粉质特性相关性最显著的是小麦粉含量,其次是小麦麸和燕麦麸细粉含量;小麦粉含量与拉伸特性呈显著正相关,与燕麦麸含量呈显著负相关,与小麦麸含量的相关性不显著。这些研究表明麸皮添加比例能够显著影响面团的流变学特性。     

Phytochemical profile of main antioxidants in different fractions of purple and blue wheat, and black barley

Two pigmented wheat genotypes (blue and purple) and two black barley genotypes were fractionated in bran and flour fractions, examined, and compared for their free radical scavenging properties against 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt radical cation (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, TEAC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total phenolic content (TPC), phenolic acid composition, carotenoid composition, and total anthocyanin content. The results showed that fractionation has a significant influence on the antioxidant properties, TPC, anthocyanin and carotenoid contents, and phenolic acid composition. Bran fractions had the greatest antioxidant activities (1.9-2.3 mmol TEAC/100 g) in all four grain genotypes and were 3-5-fold higher than the respective flour fractions (0.4-0.7 mmol TEAC/100 g). Ferulic acid was the predominant phenolic acid in wheat genotypes (bran fractions) while p-coumaric acid was the predominant phenolic acid in the bran fractions of barley genotypes. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis detected the presence of lutein and zeaxanthin in all fractions with different distribution patterns within the genotypes. The highest contents of anthocyanins were found in the middlings of black barley genotypes or in the shorts of blue and purple wheat. These data suggest the possibility to improve the antioxidant release from cereal-based food through selection of postharvest treatments.     

Milling Performance of North European Hull‐less Barleys and Characterization of Resultant Millstreams

Four hull‐less barley samples were milled on a Bühler MLU 202 laboratory mill and individual and combined milling fractions were characterized. The best milling performance was obtained when the samples were conditioned to 14.3% moisture. Yields were 37–48% for straight‐run flour, 47–56% for shorts, and 5–8% for bran. The β‐glucan contents of the straight‐run white flours were 1.6–2.1%, of which ≈49% was water‐extractable. The arabinoxylan contents were 1.2–1.5%, of which ≈17% was water‐extractable. Shorts and bran fractions contained more β‐glucan (4.2–5.8% and 3.0–4.7%, respectively) and arabinoxylan (6.1–7.7% and 8.1–11.8%, respectively) than the white flours. For those fractions, β‐glucan extractability was high (58.5 and 52.3%, respectively), whereas arabinoxylan extractability was very low (≈6.5 and 2.0%, respectively). The straight‐run white flours had low α‐amylase, β‐glucanase, and endoxylanase activities. The highest α‐amylase activity was found in the shorts fractions and the highest β‐glucanase and endoxylanase activities were generally found in the bran fractions. Endoxylanase inhibitor activities were low in the white flours and highest in the shorts fractions. High flavanoid, tocopherol, and tocotrienol contents were found in bran and shorts fractions.     

Impact of inhibition sensitivity on endoxylanase functionality in wheat flour breadmaking

A Bacillus subtilis endoxylanase (XBS(i)) sensitive to inhibition by Triticum aestivum L. endoxylanase inhibitor (TAXI) and a mutant thereof (XBS(ni)), uninhibited by TAXI, were used in straight-dough breadmaking to assess the importance of endoxylanase inhibition sensitivity on endoxylanase functionality in the process. With two European wheat flours, the loaf volume improving effect of XBS(ni) at much lower enzyme dosages was substantially larger than that brought about by XBS(i). This coincided with differences in arabinoxylan (AX) hydrolysis. Although XBS(ni) had a lower substrate selectivity for water-unextractable arabinoxylan (WU-AX) than XBS(i), the former solubilized significantly more WU-AX than XBS(i). Because of inhibition, XBS(i) solubilized most of the WU-AX during mixing, whereas, with XBS(ni), the rate of solubilization decreased less with increasing processing time than that with XBS(i). During fermentation and baking and at the highest dosage (600 U/kg of flour of XBS(i) and 60 U/kg of flour of XBS(ni)), XBS(ni) induced a stronger degradation of enzymically solubilized and water-extractable AX than XBS(i). Taken together, the data clearly demonstrate that endoxylanases, which in vitro are inhibited by endoxylanase inhibitors and still are active in the breadmaking process, as demonstrated by their functional (bread volume) enhancing effect, gradually lose their activity in the process.     

Determination of Bran Contamination in Wheat Flours Using Ash Content,Color, and Bran Speck Counts

A fast new method based on image analysis, ScanPro Speck Expert (SPX), to determine the bran contamination in wheat flour was studied and compared with existing methods (air-oven, ash, and color measurements) using an Agtron color meter and a Minolta chromameter. Twenty-one hard red winter wheat flour samples with ash contents of 0.30–0.58% were collected from the Kansas State University pilot mill and used for this study. Intrinsic variability in the flour sample because of randomness of bran speck orientation and distribution in the sample holder could result in variation in the speck count. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses showed that estimation of flour ash content from the SPX results (R² = 0.91) would be more accurate than the results from color measurements (R² = 0.66 [Agtron color meter] and 0.74 [L*]). The added capability of SPX image analyzer to not only count the number of bran specks but also to measure their areas probably increases the accuracy of determining the bran contamination in wheat flour by image processing.     

Fractionation-reconstitution experiments provide insight into the role of endoxylanases in bread-making.

The impact mechanism of endoxylanases in straight dough bread-making was investigated in fractionation-reconstitution experiments. To this end, two European flours with different bread-making characteristics were separated in gluten, prime starch, a squeegee fraction (SQF), and a water-extractable fraction. Whereas the former fractions contained negligible levels of arabinoxylan (AX), the latter contained, respectively, most of the water-unextractable AX (WU-AX) and all of the water-extractable AX (WE-AX). In vitro modification with a Bacillus subtilis endoxylanase allowed controlled solubilization of WU-AX from SQF and controlled degradation of solubilized AX and WE-AX from the water-extractables. It followed from bread-making tests with the reconstituted flours that endoxylanases exert positive loaf volume effects in bread-making by lowering the concentration of WU-AX and increasing that of total soluble AX. Limited degradation of WE-AX and significant breakdown of solubilized AX by endoxylanases, on the other hand, resulted in volume losses when compared to their nondegraded counterparts. The volume increasing effects of endoxylanases are therefore related to their ratio of solubilizing to degrading activity and thus to their substrate specificity.