Protein biofortified sorghum: effect of processing into traditional african foods on their protein quality

Protein biofortification into crops is a means to combat childhood protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) in developing countries, by increasing the bioavailability of protein in staple plant foods and ensuring sustainability of the crop. Protein biofortification of sorghum has been achieved by both chemically induced mutation and genetic engineering. For this biofortification to be effective, the improved protein quality in the grain must be retained when it is processed into staple African foods. Suppression of kafirin synthesis by genetic engineering appeared to be superior to improved protein digestibility by chemical mutagenesis, because both the lysine content and protein digestibility were substantially improved and maintained in a range of African foods. For the genetically engineered sorghums, the protein digestibility corrected amino acid score was almost twice that of their null controls and considerably higher than the high protein digestibility sorghum type. Such protein biofortified sorghum has considerable potential to alleviate PEM.     

Wheat Gluten Polymer Structures: The Impact of Genotype,Environment, and Processing on Their Functionality in Various Applications

For a number of applications, gluten protein polymer structures are of the highest importance in determining end‐use properties. The present article focuses on gluten protein structures in the wheat grain, genotype‐ and environment‐related changes, protein structures in various applications, and their impact on quality. Protein structures in mature wheat grain or flour are strongly related to end‐use properties, although influenced by genetic and environment interactions. Nitrogen availability during wheat development and genetically determined plant development rhythm are the most important parameters determining the gluten protein polymer structure, although temperature during plant development interacts with the impact of the mentioned parameters. Glutenin subunits are the main proteins incorporated in the gluten protein polymer in extracted wheat flour. During dough mixing, gliadins are also incorporated through disulfide‐sulfhydryl exchange reactions. Gluten protein polymer size and complexity in the mature grain and changes during dough formation are important for breadmaking quality. When using the gluten proteins to produce plastics, additional proteins are incorporated in the polymer through disulfide‐sulfhydryl exchange, sulfhydryl oxidation, β‐eliminations with lanthionine formation, and isopeptide formation. In promising materials, the protein polymer structure is changed toward β‐sheet structures of both intermolecular and extended type and a hexagonal close‐packed structure is found. Increased understanding of gluten protein polymer structures is extremely important to improve functionality and end‐use quality of wheat‐ and gluten‐based products.     

Traditional and New Food Uses of Pulses

The global production of pulses, such as various peas, beans, lupines, and lentils, is about 77 million metric tons. Pulses are diverse in their traditional food uses in Asia, Africa, and America, where they have been used, for example, in soups, spreads, meal components, snacks, and breakfast items. Having high protein content (about 20–40%), pulses have recently gained interest when alternative sustainable protein sources are considered. Pulses have been used for protein enrichment in pasta and bread, and they also are suitable ingredients in gluten‐free foods. Wet and dry fractionation methods as well as bioprocessing such as germination and fermentation provide useful tools for development of new functional pulse ingredients. The use of pulses is bound to increase in the future, and especially in combination with cereal raw materials they may find new applications meeting both sensory and nutritional needs of consumers on all continents.     

Effect of Protein Quality,Protein Content,Bran Addition,DATEM, Proving Time,and Their Interaction on Hearth Bread

The effect of protein quality, protein content, bran addition, diacetyl tartaric acid ester of monoglycerides (DATEM), proving time, and their interaction on hearth bread characteristics were studied by size‐exclusion fast protein liquid chromatography, Kieffer dough and gluten extensibility rig, and small‐scale baking of hearth loaves. Protein quality influenced size and shape of the hearth loaves positively. Enhanced protein content increased loaf volume and decreased the form ratio of hearth loaves. The effect of protein quality and protein content was dependent on the size‐distribution of the proteins in flour, which affected the viscoelastic properties of the dough. Doughs made from flours with strong protein quality can be proved for a longer time and thereby expand more than doughs made from weak protein quality flours. Doughs made from strong protein quality flours tolerated bran addition better than doughs made from weak protein quality flours. Doughs made from high protein content flours were more suited for hearth bread production with bran than doughs made from flours with low protein content. DATEM had small effect on dough properties and hearth loaf characteristics compared with the other factors.     

植物响应低磷胁迫的蛋白质泛素化途径研究进展

磷是构成许多关键性大分子的重要底物,在植物体内许多生理生化反应中都发挥着重要作用,磷供应不足会极大地限制作物的产量和品质。在漫长的进化过程中,植物形成了一系列适应低磷胁迫的机制,其中,蛋白质水平的泛素化修饰对植物响应低磷胁迫起重要作用。泛素化修饰可以改变靶蛋白的活性、稳定性及其在亚细胞的定位等。对关键蛋白的泛素化修饰在植物低磷胁迫响应中的调控功能和机制进行归类总结,综述植物蛋白质泛素化途径调控低磷胁迫的研究进展。蛋白质泛素化修饰研究主要从泛素、酶和靶蛋白3个组分方面进行。泛素由76个氨基酸组成,并以逐步共轭级联的方式与靶蛋白相连,形成泛素–蛋白质复合体,该复合体被运输至26S蛋白酶体内消化与降解,从而调控众多生理过程。蛋白质泛素化修饰通过改变根系形态构型,影响磷转运子和转录因子的活性和定位,从而促进或抑制植物对土壤磷的吸收以及向地上部的运输,进而调节磷稳态。最后,提出了对植物响应低磷胁迫的蛋白质泛素化需要进行的研究。     

Composition,Nutritional Value,Functionality, Processing,and Novel Food Uses of Pulses and Pulse Ingredients

Pulses, the dry edible seeds of plants in the legume family, include field pea, dry bean, lentil, chickpea, and fababean. The contemporary definition of pulses excludes oilseed legumes and legumes consumed in immature form. Pulses have been nourishing people around the world for thousands of years and are well known as a rich, sustainable source of protein that is high in lysine and therefore complementary to protein from cereals. They also are good sources of energy and dietary fiber, are low in fat, and contain significant levels of vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients and bioactives. Owing to its intermediate amylose content, starch from pulses is digested more slowly than are most cereal and tuber starches. Whole and split pulses and pulse flours also exhibit relatively high levels of type 1 resistant starch. As a result, the consumption of pulses is beneficial to the management of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity, is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, and contributes to overall health and wellness. Pulses are used in whole or dehulled form in canned goods, sweets, soups, and pastes, whereas pulse flours are becoming common ingredients in a wide variety of food and pet food products such as baked goods, pasta and noodles, biscuits, and condiments. There is considerable interest currently in dry and wet fractionation of pulses into starch, protein, and fiber concentrates for use in both food and nonfood applications. As consumers are becoming increasingly health conscious and focused on a wellness‐oriented lifestyle, they are demanding tasty and convenient food products that are plant‐based and provide both nutritional and health benefits. In recent years, interest in the use of pulses and their ingredients in food formulation has grown tremendously owing to their nutritional and health benefits and unique functionality, a rise in the incidence of food allergies, and the availability of novel processing technologies. The United Nations declared 2016 as the International Year of Pulses, which was celebrated through the hosting of scientific and educational activities worldwide, all aimed at increasing consumer awareness of the benefits of pulse consumption and of the role of pulses in sustainable crop production systems. The ultimate goal was increased production and consumption of pulses in both developed and developing countries. This focus issue of Cereal Chemistry captures current research related to pulse composition, processing technologies, nutritional and functional attributes of pulse ingredients, impacts of processing on composition and functionality, potential health benefits, and novel food applications. It also includes review articles on composition, nutritional value and health benefits, traditional and new food uses, determination of protein nutritional quality, evaluation of cooking time, effects of processing on antinutrients, and flavor aspects of ingredients.     

Evaluation of protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score method for assessing protein quality of foods

The current concepts of protein quality evaluation were reviewed. A detailed examination of existing animal assays and more promising amino acid scoring methods has been carried out by an Ad Hoc Working Group on Protein Quality Measurement for the Codex Committee on Vegetable Proteins during the last 5 years. Several factors such as inadequacies of protein efficiency ratio (PER, the poorest test) and other animal assays, advancements made in standardizing methods for amino acid analysis and protein digestibility, availability of data on digestibility of protein and individual amino acids in a variety of foods, and reliability of human amino acid requirements and scoring patterns were evaluated. On the basis of this evaluation, amino acid score, corrected for true digestibility of protein, was recommended to be the most suitable routine method for predicting protein quality of foods for humans. Amino acid scores corrected for true digestibility of protein (as determined by rat balance method) were termed "protein digestibility-corrected amino acid scores." A detailed method for the determination of the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score was proposed, and information about the range of scores to be expected in foods or food products was provided in the present investigation. The protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score method is a simple and scientifically sound approach for routine evaluation of protein quality of foods. Accuracy of the method would, however, be confirmed after validation with growth or metabolic balance studies in humans.     

Protein digestibility-corrected amino acid scores (PDCAAS) for soy protein isolates and concentrate: criteria for evaluation

Protein quality, as determined by the PDCAAS method, is a measure of a protein's ability to provide adequate levels of essential amino acids for human needs. PDCAAS is calculated using an amino acid profile and true digestibility of a food protein. Soy protein is recognized as a high quality plant protein, but published PDCAAS values may vary based on the soy protein ingredient as well as the reproducibility and accuracy of the testing methods. Comparison of PDCAAS values for four differently processed soy ingredients, including three isolated soy proteins (ISP) and one soy protein concentrate (SPC), was made using two different laboratories with evaluation of the impact of the reproducibility and accuracy of amino acid profiles. PDCAAS calculations, using amino acid values from one laboratory, yielded a truncated PDCAAS of 1.00 for all four ingredients, while a second laboratory provided statistically significantly lower scores (0.95-1.00). We conclude that analytical method error can be a significant contributor to PDCAAS differences and can be mitigated by the application of amino acid nitrogen recovery correction factors.     

Influence of soil properties on Ni accumulation in food crops and corresponding dietary health risk with a typical Chinese diet

Nickel (Ni), an essential micronutrient, is toxic to plants and animals at elevated levels. Fewer data are available on the dynamics of Ni than for trace metals such as Cu and Zn. Dietary intake is the major source of Ni, but almost no information is available on dietary intake for Asian populations whose diet contains much less animal products and processed foods than in Western countries. In south‐eastern China, most food is grown on peri‐urban agricultural land and thus, food crops from these areas should be the major source of dietary Ni. A large‐scale survey of Ni in soils and edible crops, including 515 sites and 24 crop species from 10 crop groups, was conducted in Fujian Province, SE China, to assess Ni intake for a typical SE Asian diet. Correlation, principal component analysis (PCA) and data mining were used to identify soil and plant factors that determine Ni accumulation in crops. Both soil Ni content and plant species contributed to Ni accumulation. Crop Ni (Ni_crop) was positively correlated with soil Ni DTPA‐extractible (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) (Ni_DTPA) for many crops. PCA did not identify strong relations between soil‐to‐crop transfer factors and any soil properties. Stepwise linear correlations found positive correlations between Ni_crop and Ni_DTPA; however, relationships between Ni_crop and both silt content and pH varied between crops. Dietary intake of foods containing mean Ni content could lead to health risks, especially for children. It was concluded that sandy soils, rich in organic matter with a large Ni content, are unsuitable for the production of rice and legumes.     

Relationship Between Protein Characteristics and Instant Noodle Making Quality of Wheat Flour

We investigated the relationship between the protein content and quality of wheat flours and characteristics of noodle dough and instant noodles using 14 hard and soft wheat flours with various protein contents and three commercial flours for making noodles. Protein content of wheat flours exhibited negative relationships with the optimum water absorption of noodle dough and lightness (L*) of the instant noodle dough sheet. Protein quality, as determined by SDS sedimentation volume and proportion of alcohol‐ and salt‐soluble protein of flour, also influenced optimum water absorption and yellow‐blueness (b*) of the noodle dough sheet. Wheat flours with high protein content (>13.6%) produced instant noodles with lower fat absorption, higher L*, lower b*, and firmer and more elastic texture than wheat flours with low protein content (<12.2%). L* and free lipid content of instant noodles were >76.8 and <20.8% in hard wheat flours of high SDS sedimentation volume (>36 mL) and low proportion of salt‐soluble protein (<12.5%), and <75.7 and >21.5% in soft wheat flours with low SDS sedimentation volume (<35 mL) and a high proportion of salt‐soluble protein (>15.0%). L* of instant noodles positively correlated with SDS sedimentation volume and negatively correlated with proportion of alcohol‐ and salt‐soluble protein of flour. These protein quality parameters also exhibited a significant relationship with b* of instant noodles. SDS sedimentation volume and proportion of salt‐soluble protein of flours also exhibited a significant relationship with free lipid content of instant noodles (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively). Protein quality parameters of wheat flour, as well as protein content, showed significant relationship with texture properties of cooked instant noodles.     

Evaluation of the Functionality of Five Different Soybean Proteins in Hot‐Press Wheat Flour Tortillas

Five different soybean protein sources were added to wheat flour to increase the protein content by 15–25%, and the resulting composite flours were optimally processed into hot‐press tortillas in a pilot plant. The rheological properties of composite flours were evaluated with the farinograph, alveograph, and other wheat quality tests. Tortilla‐making qualities of the control and soybean‐fortified flours were evaluated during dough handling, hot pressing, and baking. The resulting tortillas were tested in terms of yield, physical and chemical parameters, sensory properties, color, and objective and subjective texture. The soybean‐fortified tortillas had increased yields because of the higher dough water absorption and enhanced essential amino acid scores. Among the five different soybean proteins, the defatted soybean flour (SBM1) with the lowest fat absorption index and protein dispersibility index (PDI) and the soybean concentrate produced the best fortified tortillas. The protein meals with high PDI and relatively lower water absorption index (SBM3 and SBM4) produced sticky doughs, lower alveograph P/L values, and defective tortillas. All soybean proteins produced higher yields of tortillas with an enhanced protein quality and amount of dietary fiber.     

Metabolic Responses to Venezuelan Corn Meal and Rice Bran Supplemented Arepas (Breads)

The metabolic responses to South American foods remain to be determined. Using glycemic index (GI) and insulinemic index (II) values as references for therapeutic potential of foods, this study investigated the glucose responses to a typical Venezuelan corn bread (arepa) and to an arepa supplemented with rice bran. Adding rice bran to the bread increased the content of resistant starch and dietary fiber measured as total, soluble, and insoluble dietary fiber. It also increased the protein content of the arepa. Three meals, white wheat bread, 100% corn meal arepa, and an arepa supplemented with 20% rice bran, were administered within a one‐week period. Available starch in the foods was determined to provide 50 g of available carbohydrate per meal. To calculate the indices, bread was used as the reference. The GI and II of the two arepa meals were significantly smaller than the GI and II of white wheat bread, although the differences between the two types of arepas were not significant. It is concluded that Venezuelan arepas (corn meal bread) may have potential health benefits and that the presence of 20% rice bran in the arepa meal did not produce a significant improvement in the glucose response. Due to the presence of antioxidant elements in the supplemented arepa and its higher protein, dietary fiber, and resistant starch content, it may have a potential preventive effect against the development of other pathologies.     

Promoting Cereal Grain and Whole Grain Consumption: An Australian Perspective

Go Grains Health & Nutrition encourages consumption of grain‐based foods in Australia through activities that promote awareness and understanding of the role of grain foods in a healthy diet. Strategies drive the message of the Australian dietary guidelines that a healthy diet should include at least four servings of grain‐based foods every day (1 serving is equal to two slices of bread). The “Go Grains 4+ Serves a Day” program promotes grain‐based foods (refined and whole grain) through the media, website information, resource development, school education, and food industry involvement. Interest in whole grains is growing, reflected in a shift in bread sales over recent years from white to whole grain. Manufacturers are responding with new and reformulated whole grain product launches and an increasing number of products carry packaging statements about whole grain content. Australian food regulations do not permit health claims in packaging or in advertising. In the absence of official guidelines, Go Grains has developed a whole grain daily target intake for use by food manufacturers in packaging. There are limited data publicly available to describe consumption of grain‐based foods in Australia. The findings of a 2009 survey commissioned by Go Grains help provide insight into consumption trends.     

Effects of Genotype and Environment on Glutenin Polymers and Breadmaking Quality

Six genotypes of hard red spring (HRS) wheat were grown at seven environments in North Dakota during 1998. Effects of genotype and environment on glutenin polymeric proteins and dough mixing and baking properties were examined. Genotype, environment, and genotype‐by‐environment interaction all significantly affected protein and dough mixing properties. However, different protein and quality measurements showed differences for relative influences of genotype and environment. Total flour protein content and SDS‐soluble glutenin content were influenced more by environmental than genetic factors, while SDS‐insoluble glutenin content was controlled more by genetic than environmental factors. Significant genotypic and environmental effects were found for the size distribution of SDS‐soluble glutenins and between SDS‐soluble and SDS‐insoluble glutenins as well as % SDS‐insoluble glutenins. With increased flour protein content, the proportions of monomeric proteins and SDS‐insoluble glutenin polymers appeared to increase, but SDS‐soluble glutenins decreased. Flour protein content and the size distribution between SDS‐soluble and SDS‐insoluble glutenin polymers were significantly correlated with dough mixing properties. Environment affected not only total flour protein content but also the content of different protein fractions and size distributions of glutenin polymers, which, in turn, influenced properties of dough mixing. Flour protein content, % SDS‐insoluble glutenin polymers in flour, and ratio of SDS‐soluble to SDS‐insoluble glutenins all were highly associated with dough mixing properties and loaf volume.     

Protein Extraction from Triticale Distillers Grains

Triticale is being actively explored as a feedstock for bioethanol production in Western Canada. Triticale distillers grains, an important coproduct of the bioethanol industry, are used mainly as animal feed. This study aims to develop methods of protein extraction from triticale distillers wet grains and distillers dried grains with solubles. Osborne fractionation showed low protein extractability because excessive protein denaturation occurred during sample preparation. Five methods were used to extract proteins: pH shifting, 60% ethanol, alkaline‐ethanol solution, glacial acetic acid, and enzyme‐aided extraction. Extracts obtained with the alkaline‐ethanol and glacial acetic acid methods showed comparatively higher protein contents (≈61–65%) when compared with the other extraction methods (≈35–57%). Enzyme‐aided extraction with Protex 6L yielded 75–82% protein at a content of 43–57%, depending on the types of raw materials. Establishing methods of protein extraction from triticale distillers grains would facilitate further studies on new uses of triticale proteins.     

Physicochemical and Digestion Characteristics of Starch and Fiber‐Rich Subfractions from Four Pulse Bagasses

The aim of this study was to characterize the physicochemical, functional, and digestion properties of bagasses derived from broad beans, chickpeas, lentils, and white beans, and to isolate the starch and a fiber‐rich fraction that can be used as a food ingredient. The bagasses showed different chemical compositions that were related to their botanical origin. The further processing that involved mechanical separation of starch yielded up to 69.65% with ≥80.12% recovery and high purity (≥94.42%), and a fiber‐rich fraction (total dietary fiber content ≥72.75%) in which the majority was insoluble fiber. The starch digestion fractions of the isolated lentil starch showed the highest amount of slowly digestible starch (30.76%), whereas the white bean contained the highest resistant starch content (15.65%). All starches showed predicted glycemic indexes ≤ 66.90, which classify them as medium glycemic foods. In vitro protein digestion was higher for the bagasse fraction (up to 89.78%), followed by the fiber‐rich fraction (84.36%). This research demonstrates that it is possible to revalorize the use of pulses bagasse, which could contribute to enhance the technological and economic output of the protein isolation process, rendering two potentially functional fractions.     

挤压温度对大豆分离蛋白与原花青素复合物结构和功能特性的影响

为了探究不同挤压温度（40、60、80、100和120℃）对大豆分离蛋白（Soy Isolate Protein,SPI）与葡萄籽原花青素（Grape Seed Proanthocyanidin Extract,GSPE）复合物功能性质及结构特性的影响。该研究以溶解度、乳化性、乳化稳定性、ζ-电位、粒度为指标,利用荧光光谱、红外光谱分析该复合体系中大豆分离蛋白功能性质及结构的变化。结果表明：相较于挤压SPI,经过挤压处理的SPI-GSPE复合物的溶解度、乳化活性指数、乳化稳定性指数、ζ-电位绝对值及持水性均显著提高（P<0.05）,其表面疏水性、持油性显著下降（P<0.05）。随着挤压温度的升高,SPI-GSPE复合物的溶解度、持油性及乳化活性均先增大后减小且在80℃达到最大值,而其表面疏水性先减小后增大且最小值在80℃,ζ-电位绝对值、乳化稳定性及持水性均随温度的升高而降低。粒径分析结果表明,挤压处理后SPI与GSPE形成了更加致密的复合物;荧光光谱及红外光谱结果表明,与GSPE的复合及挤压处理使SPI氨基酸残基所处微环境发生变化,蛋白结构发生变化。以上结果表明挤压温度为80℃时SPI-GSPE复合物功能性质提高幅度最大,为GSPE与SPI复合提高SPI的功能性质提供参考。     

REVIEW: Wild Rice: Both an Ancient Grain and a Whole Grain

Wild rice (Zizania spp.) grows in shallow waters of North America and is distinct from brown and white rice (Oryza spp.). The recent trends toward gluten‐free foods and ancient grains present an opportunity for increased interest in the health benefits of wild rice. Wild rice is classified as a whole grain and typically contains 75% carbohydrate, 6.2% dietary fiber, 14.7% protein, and 1.1% lipids. Wild rice is a good source of dietary fiber and has nearly double the amount of protein of white rice. The lipid content is low; however, most of the lipids are essential omega‐6 (35.0–37.8%) and omega‐3 (20.0–31.5%) fatty acids. In addition to macronutrient content, wild rice contains phytosterol levels several times higher than white rice. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of wild rice is 10–15 times higher than white rice. A series of rat studies in which wild rice was added to a high fat, high cholesterol diet found significant attenuation of serum free fatty acids, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels while maintaining higher high‐density lipoprotein levels compared with a control diet. The exact explanation of the protective mechanism of wild rice is uncertain, but the dietary fiber, phytosterol, or antioxidant capacity of wild rice may be the reason for it. Current interest in whole grains and gluten‐free diets, as well as antioxidants and phytochemicals, makes wild rice an attractive grain addition to the diet.     

Nutritional and health benefits of soy proteins

Soy protein is a major component of the diet of food-producing animals and is increasingly important in the human diet. However, soy protein is not an ideal protein because it is deficient in the essential amino acid methionine. Methionine supplementation benefits soy infant formulas, but apparently not food intended for adults with an adequate nitrogen intake. Soy protein content of another essential amino acid, lysine, although higher than that of wheat proteins, is still lower than that of the milk protein casein. Adverse nutritional and other effects following consumption of raw soybean meal have been attributed to the presence of endogenous inhibitors of digestive enzymes and lectins and to poor digestibility. To improve the nutritional quality of soy foods, inhibitors and lectins are generally inactivated by heat treatment or eliminated by fractionation during food processing. Although lectins are heat-labile, the inhibitors are more heat-stable than the lectins. Most commercially heated meals retain up to 20% of the Bowman-Birk (BBI) inhibitor of chymotrypsin and trypsin and the Kunitz inhibitor of trypsin (KTI). To enhance the value of soybeans in human nutrition and health, a better understanding is needed of the factors that impact the nutrition and health-promoting aspects of soy proteins. This paper discusses the composition in relation to properties of soy proteins. Also described are possible beneficial and adverse effects of soy-containing diets. The former include soy-induced lowering of cholesterol, anticarcinogenic effects of BBI, and protective effects against obesity, diabetes, irritants of the digestive tract, bone, and kidney diseases, whereas the latter include poor digestibility and allergy to soy proteins. Approaches to reduce the concentration of soybean inhibitors by rearrangement of protein disulfide bonds, immunoassays of inhibitors in processed soy foods and soybean germplasm, the roles of phytoestrogenic isoflavones and lectins, and research needs in all of these areas are also discussed. This integrated overview of the widely scattered literature emphasizes general concepts based on our own studies as well as recent studies by others. It is intended to stimulate interest in further research to optimize beneficial effects of soy proteins. The payoff will be healthier humans and improved animal feeds.     

Protein Quality of Wheat Desirable for Making Fresh White Salted Noodles and Its Influences on Processing and Texture of Noodles

Protein characteristics of wheat flours from various wheat classes, and of commercial flours for making noodles, were evaluated to determine the effects of protein content and quality on processing and textural properties of white salted noodles, as well as to identify protein quality required for making white salted noodles. SDS sedimentation volume based on constant protein weight, mixograph mixing time, and proportions of salt‐ and alcohol‐soluble protein of three commercial flours for making noodles were more similar to those of hard wheat than to soft wheat flours. SDS sedimentation volume of commercial flours for making noodles based on constant protein weight ranged from 38.5 to 40.0 mL and was higher than those of most soft wheat flours. Mixograph mixing time and proportion of salt‐soluble protein of hard and commercial flours for making noodles were >145 sec and mostly <13.8%, respectively, while those of club and soft wheat flours were < 95 sec and >15.0%. Both protein content and protein quality, as determined by SDS sedimentation volume based on constant protein weight, mixograph mixing time, proportion of salt‐soluble protein, and score of HMW‐GS compositions correlated with optimum water absorption of noodle dough and hardness of cooked white salted noodles.