Relationships Among Grain Hardness,Pentosan Fractions,and End‐Use Quality of Wheat

Grain texture (hardness) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major determinant of end‐usage. Variation in grain texture can be conceptually assigned to the two major hardness classes that result from the action of one major gene (Hardness) or to as‐yet undetermined factors contributing to residual variation within hardness classes. Identifying the physicochemical basis of both sources of texture variation could provide a means of better controlling or manipulating this quality trait. Pursuant to this objective, the role of pentosans was examined. Pentosan fractions (membrane‐associated, total, and soluble) were isolated from 13 hard and 13 soft wheat samples and their flours. Among the hard wheat samples, pentosans had a minimal role in modifying grain hardness. However, among the soft wheat samples, pentosans appeared to have a significant hardness‐modifying effect that carried over into end‐use quality. Among the soft wheat samples, pentosan fractions, along with wheat protein, accounted for 53–76% of the variation in grain texture, depending on the method used to quantify texture. Membrane‐associated pentosans were the most influential single parameter in modeling grain texture for the soft wheat samples. Membrane‐associated pentosans were most influential in accounting for variation (69%) in alkaline water retention capacity. Total pentosans, together with flour protein, accounted for 87% of the variation in cookie diameter for soft wheat samples, with the total pentosan fraction being the more influential.     

不同品种小麦籽粒中戊聚糖含量分析

从全国小麦主产区收集弱筋小麦品种19份、强筋品种24份,对小麦籽粒中的戊聚糖含量以及籽粒基本品质特性进行了测定与统计分析。结果显示,不同类型与品种的小麦籽粒中总戊聚糖(TP)和水溶性戊聚糖(WSP)含量存在极显著差异（P<0.01）;强筋小麦的TP和水不溶性戊聚糖（WUP）平均值较弱筋小麦的偏高,但二者的WSP平均值基本一致。对籽粒的戊聚糖含量与其品质特性进行相关性分析发现,强筋小麦籽粒的WSP含量与籽粒蛋白质含量、湿面筋含量、zel沉降值、面团稳定时间存在正相关关系;弱筋小麦籽粒WSP含量与籽粒蛋白质含量、湿面筋含量、硬度、zel沉降值、形成时间存在负相关关系。通径分析结果显示,蛋白质与湿面筋含量对戊聚糖含量的影响更为显著。由本研究得出结论,强筋与弱筋类型小麦的品质指标对戊聚糖含量的影响有明显不同,建议未来戊聚糖的研究按小麦类型区别对待。     

Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Pearled Wheat and Roller‐Milled Fractions

Wheat contains phenolic compounds concentrated mainly in bran tissues. This study examined the distribution of phenolics and antioxidant activities in wheat fractions derived from pearling and roller milling. Debranning (pearling) of wheat before milling is becoming increasingly accepted by the milling industry as a means of improving wheat rollermilling performance, making it of interest to determine the concentration of ferulic acid at various degrees of pearling. Eight cultivar samples were used, including five genotypes representing four commercial Canadian wheat classes with different intrinsic qualities. Wheat was pearled incrementally to obtain five fractions, each representing an amount of product equivalent to 5% of initial sample weight. Wheat was also roller milled without debranning. Total phenolic content of fractions was determined using the modified Folin‐Ciocalteau method for all pearling fractions, and for bran, shorts, bran flour, and first middlings flour from roller milling. Antioxidant activity was determined on phenolic extracts by a method involving the use of the free radical 2,2‐diphenyl‐l‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Total phenolics were concentrated in fractions from the first and second pearlings (>4,000 mg/kg). Wheat fractions from the third and fourth pearlings still contained high phenolic content (>3,000 mg/kg). A similar trend was observed in antioxidant activity of the milled fractions with ≈4,000 mg/kg in bran and shorts, ≈3,000 mg/kg in bran flour, and <1,000 mg/kg in first middlings flour. Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were highly correlated (R² = 0.94). There were no significant differences between red and white wheat samples. A strong influence of environment (growing location) was indicated. Pearling represents an effective technique to obtain wheat bran fractions enriched in phenolics and antioxidants, thereby maximizing health benefits associated with wheat‐based products.     

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.     

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.     

Enzymatic solubilization of arabinoxylans from isolated rye pentosans and rye flour by different endo-xylanases and other hydrolyzing enzymes. Effect of a fungal caccase on the flour extracts oxidative gelation

Water-extractable (WEP) and water-unextractable (WUP) pentosans were isolated from a rye flour. The effect of a commercial enzyme preparation, Grindamyl S 100 (GS100), containing pentosanase activities, was investigated on WEP, WUP, a mix of WEP and WUP, and the rye flour, with the aim to monitor the solubilization and depolymerization of high molecular weight arabinoxylans and the effect on the viscosity of the reaction medium. The effects of other hydrolyzing enzymes were also tested. Three xylanases were used: xylanase 1 (Xyl-1) from Aspergillus niger, the main activity present in GS100; xylanase 2 (Xyl-2) from Talaromyces emersonii; and xylanase 3 (Xyl-3) from Bacillus subtilis. Xyl-3 was used in combination with Xyl-1, (1,4)-beta-D-arabinoxylan arabinofuranohydrolase, endo-beta-D-glucanase, or ferulate esterase from A. niger, but no synergism was observed. GS100 and xylanases increased the arabinoxylan solubilization, Xyl-3 and Xyl-1 being those that presented the best yields of extraction without extensive depolymerization of water-extractable arabinoxylans. Both xylanases were affected by an inhibitor in rye flour. Flour treated with hot ethanol was used to study the oxidative gelation of flour extracts treated with xylanases, in the presence of laccase from Pycnoporus cinnabarinus. Two doses of xylanases were tested (0.5 and 2.5 units). Only the flour extracts treated with 0.5 unit of Xyl-1 thickened.     

Relationship Between Soft Wheat Flour Physicochemical Composition and Cookie‐Making Performance

Nowadays in Argentina, cookies, crackers, and cakes are made of flour obtained from bread wheat with additives or enzymes that decrease the gluten strength but increase production costs. The present research work aims to study the relationship between flour physicochemical composition (particle size average [PSA], protein, damaged starch [DS], water soluble pentosans [WSP], total pentosans [TP], and gluten), alkaline water retention capacities behavior, solvent retention capacities profile (SRC) and cookie‐making performance in a set of 51 adapted soft wheat lines with diverse origin to identify better flour parameters for predicting cookie quality. Cookie factor (CF) values were 5.06–7.56. High and significant negative correlations between sucrose SRC (–0.68), water SRC (–0.65), carbonate SRC (–0.59), and CF were found, followed by lactic SRC that presented a low negative but significant correlation (r = –0.35). The flour components DS (r = –0.67), WSP (r = –0.49), and TP (r = –0.4) were negatively associated to CF. PSA showed a negative correlation with CF (r = –0.43). Protein and gluten were the flour components that affected cookie hardness, but no significant correlation were found with pentosan or DS content. A prediction equation for CF was developed. Sucrose SRC, PSA, and DS could be used to predict 68% of the variation in cookie diameter. The cluster analysis was conducted to assess differences in flour quality parameters among genotypes based on CF. Clusters 1 and 4 were typified by lower CF (5.70 and 5.23, respectively), higher DS, pentosan content, and SRC values. Cluster 2 with a relative good CF (6.47) and Cluster 3 with the best cookie quality, high CF (7.32) and low firmness, and the lowest DS, TP, WSP content, and sucrose SRC values.     

Bran Characteristics and Bread‐Baking Quality of Whole Grain Wheat Flour

Variations in physical and compositional bran characteristics among different sources and classes of wheat and their association with bread‐baking quality of whole grain wheat flour (WWF) were investigated with bran obtained from Quadrumat milling of 12 U.S. wheat varieties and Bühler milling of six Korean wheat varieties. Bran was characterized for composition including protein, fat, ash, dietary fiber, phenolics, and phytate. U.S. soft and club wheat brans were lower in insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) and phytate content (40.7–44.7% and 10.3–17.1 mg of phytate/g of bran, respectively) compared with U.S. hard wheat bran (46.0–51.3% and 16.5–22.2 mg of phytate/g of bran, respectively). Bran of various wheat varieties was blended with a hard red spring wheat flour at a ratio of 1:4 to prepare WWFs for determination of dough properties and bread‐baking quality. WWFs with U.S. hard wheat bran generally exhibited higher dough water absorption and longer dough mixing time, and they produced smaller loaf volume of bread than WWFs of U.S. soft and club wheat bran. WWFs of two U.S. hard wheat varieties (ID3735 and Scarlet) produced much smaller loaves of bread (<573 mL) than those of other U.S. hard wheat varieties (>625 mL). IDF content, phytate content, and water retention capacity of bran exhibited significant relationships with loaf volume of WWF bread, whereas no relationship was observed between protein content of bran and loaf volume of bread. It appears that U.S. soft and club wheat bran, probably owing to relatively low IDF and phytate contents, has smaller negative effects on mixing properties of WWF dough and loaf volume of bread than U.S. hard wheat bran.     

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.     

Differences in the Aleurone Layer Fate Between Hard and Soft Common Wheats at Grain Milling

In the milling process, efficient separation between the starchy endosperm and the other grain tissues is a key parameter estimated by ash measurement. Because this separation occurs near the aleurone layer interface, better understanding of this tissue fractionation is critical for a better analysis of the wheat milling behavior. Samples from hard and soft common wheat cultivars that had the same protein content were processed on a pilot mill, and whole grain meals or flour streams were analyzed for ash content. The para‐coumaric acid (p‐CA) and phytic acid flour contents were compared with ash measurement and used as markers of the aleurone cell walls or aleurone cell content, respectively. A greater amount of phytic acid in hard wheat flour compared with soft wheat flour was found and reveals a distinct milling behavior between those wheat classes, mainly at the breaking step. Therefore simple ash content measurement is not sufficient to analyze flour purity. At the reduction stage, quantity of phytic acid increases with the other markers and may result from the overall mechanical resistance of the aleurone tissue. As a consequence, wheat hardness not only determines grain milling behavior but also affects flour composition.     

Impact of Wheat Grain Selenium Content Variation on Milling and Bread Baking

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient in animals. High levels of Se can accumulate in wheat grain, but it is not clear how high Se affects milling or baking. Low and high Se grain from the same hard red winter wheat cultivar was milled and used for breadbaking studies and Se analysis. Mill stream yields from the low and high Se wheat were comparable, as were flour yields. The amount of total grain Se retained in the flour mill streams was 71.2 and 66.4% for the low and high Se wheat, respectively. Proportionally, Se content in the bran, shorts, and the first reduction flour stream in high Se wheat was higher by 13–20% compared to the low Se wheat. Flour quality parameters including protein content, ash content, and farinograph traits were similar in low and high Se flours, although high Se flour mill streams exhibited lower farinograph stability. Breadbaking evaluations indicated that high Se had a deleterious effect on loaf volume. There was no evidence of significant Se loss after breadbaking with either low or high Se flour.     

Milling of Regular and Waxy Starch Hull-less Barleys for the Production of Bran and Flour

Five registered cultivars of hull-less barley (HB) with regular or waxy starch were milled in a Quadrumat Jr. mill to obtain whole grain flour; pearled in a Satake mill (cultivar Condor only), and the pearled fractions examined by microscopy to determine true HB bran. The samples were milled after tempering and drying in a Buhler mill to obtain bran and flour yields. Flour color and composition of HB were unaltered on milling in the Quadrumat Jr. mill. Microscopic evidence showed that a 70% pearl yield was devoid of the grain's outer coverings, including the aleurone and subaleurone layers. Therefore, the balance of 30% constitutes true bran in HB. Dry milling (as-is grain moisture) of regular starch HB in the Buhler mill gave 59% total flour and 41% bran (bran + shorts) yields, the comparative values for the waxy starch HB were 42 and 58%. On tempering HB from 9 to 16% grain moisture, the total flour yield decreased in both types of HB but to a lesser extent in the waxy starch HB due to decreases in reduction flour. On drying HB to 5 or 7% moisture, total flour yields increased due to contamination with bran and shorts. The milling study led to the conclusion that HB, at best, be dry-milled and a bran finisher be used to obtain commercial flour extraction rates. Lower total flour yields in the waxy starch HB than in the regular starch HB milled at the same grain moisture levels seemed due to higher β-glucan rather than grain hardness. Waxy starch HB flour had higher mixograph water absorption and water-holding capacity than regular starch HB or soft white wheat flour milled under identical conditions. Roller-milled HB products offer the best potential for entry into the food market.     

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.     

Insight into the distribution of arabinoxylans, endoxylanases, and endoxylanase inhibitors in industrial wheat roller mill streams

To gain insight into the distribution of arabinoxylans (AX), endoxylanases, and endoxylanase inhibitors in industrial wheat roller milling, all streams, that is, 54 flour fractions, 4 bran fractions, and the germ, were analyzed for ash, starch, and protein contents, alpha-amylase activity levels, total (TOT-AX) and water-extractable arabinoxylan (WE-AX) contents, endoxylanase activity levels, and endoxylanase inhibitor (TAXI and XIP) contents. In general, bran fractions were significantly richer in TOT-AX and WE-AX contents, endoxylanase activity levels, and endoxylanase inhibitor contents than germ and, even more so, than flour fractions. In the 54 different flour fractions, minimal and maximal values for TOT-AX and WE-AX contents differed by ca. 2-fold, whereas they differed by ca. 15-fold for endoxylanase activity levels. The latter were positively correlated with ash and negatively correlated with starch content, suggesting that the endoxylanase activity in flour is strongly influenced by the level of bran contamination. TAXI contents in the flour fractions varied ca. 4-fold and were strongly correlated with bran-related parameters such as ash content and enzyme activity levels, whereas XIP contents varied ca. 3-fold and were not correlated with any of the parameters measured in this study. The results can be valuable in blending and optimizing wheat flour fractions to obtain flours with specific technological and nutritional benefits.     

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.     

Physical and Milling Characteristics of Wheat Kernels After Enzyme and Acid Treatments

The current wheat milling process separates bran from endosperm by passing tempered wheat kernels through successive break rolls and sifters. Using hydrolytic enzymes during tempering degrades bran and aleurone layers and can improve milling efficiency and yield. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of chemical and enzymatic treatments of wheat kernels before milling on physical and milling characteristics of the resulting wheat and flour quality. Hard wheat kernels were soaked in dilute acid or water and dried back to original moisture before being tempered with enzymes in water. Kernel physical and milling characteristics (600 g) were evaluated. Dilute acid soaking did not affect the 1,000‐kernel weight and diameter but softened treated kernels. When treated kernels were pearled, bran removal was mostly from ends; and the reducing sugar content in enzyme‐treated bran was significantly higher than the control. Compared with the control, acid‐soaked enzyme‐tempered kernels showed small but significant improvement in straight flour yield, with virtually no difference in protein content, and flour color. Chemical and enzyme treatment resulted in higher ash in flour. These differences were not seen in milling of larger batches (1,500 g) of kernels.     

Quality of Flours from Waxy and Nonwaxy Barley for Production of Baked Products

One nonwaxy (covered) and two waxy (hull-less) barleys, whole grain and commercially abraded, were milled to break flour, reduction flour, and the bran fraction with a roller mill under optimized conditions. The flour yield range was 55.3–61.8% in whole grain and increased by 9–11% by abrasion before milling. Break flours contained the highest starch content (≤85.8%) independent of type of barley and abrasion level. Reduction flours contained less starch, but more protein, ash, free lipids, and total β-glucans than break flours. The bran fraction contained the highest content of ash, free lipids, protein, and total β-glucans but the lowest content of starch. Break flours milled from whole grain contained 82–91% particles <106 μm, and reduction flours contained ≈80% particles <106 μm. Abrasion significantly increased the amount of particles <38 μm in break and reduction flours in both types of barley. Viscosity of hot paste prepared with barley flour or bran at 8% concentration was strongly affected by barley type and abrasion level. In cv. Waxbar, the viscosity in bran fractions increased from 428 to 1,770 BU, and in break flours viscosity increased from 408 to 725 BU due to abrasion. Sugar snap cookies made from nonwaxy barley had larger diameter than cookies prepared from waxy barley. Cookies made from break flours were larger than those made from reduction flours, independent of type of barley. Quick bread baked from nonwaxy barley had a loaf volume similar to that of wheat bread, whereas waxy barley bread had a smaller loaf volume. Replacement of 20% of wheat flour by both waxy and nonwaxy barley flour or bran did not significantly affect the loaf volume but did decrease the hardness of quick bread crumb.     

Effect of Single‐Pass and Multipass Milling Systems on Whole Wheat Durum Flour and Whole Wheat Pasta Quality

Single‐pass and multipass milling systems were evaluated for the quality of whole wheat durum flour (WWF) and the subsequent whole wheat (WW) spaghetti they produced. The multipass system used a roller mill with two purifiers to produce semolina and bran/germ and shorts (bran fraction). The single‐pass system used an ultracentrifugal mill with two configurations (fine grind, 15,000 rpm with 250 μm mill screen aperture; and coarse grind, 12,000 rpm with 1,000 μm mill screen aperture) to direct grind durum wheat grain into WWF or to regrind the bran fraction, which was blended with semolina to produce a reconstituted WWF. Particle size, starch damage, and pasting properties were similar for direct finely ground WWF and multipass reconstituted durum flour/fine bran blend and for direct coarsely ground WWF and multipass reconstituted semolina/coarse bran blend. The semolina/fine bran blend had low starch damage and had desirable pasting properties for pasta cooking. WW spaghetti was better when made with WWF produced using the multipass than single‐pass milling system. Mechanical strength was greatest with spaghetti made from the semolina/fine bran or durum flour/fine bran blends. The semolina/fine bran and semolina/coarse bran blends made spaghetti with high cooked firmness and low cooking loss.     

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.     

Policosanol contents and compositions of wheat varieties

Policosanol (PC) is the common name for a mixture of high molecular weight (20-36 carbon) aliphatic primary alcohols, which are constituents of plant epicuticular waxes. Wheat germ oil has been reported to improve human physical fitness, and this effect is attributed to its high PC, specifically its high octacosanol (OC) content. Although the PC composition of wheat leaves has been studied extensively, information on PC content and composition of wheat grain fractions is scarce. The objective of this study was to examine the PC contents and compositions of wheat grain fractions of 31 varieties grown in Oklahoma. PC compositions of the samples were identified using a gas chromatograph coupled with a mass spectrometer. The PC content of wheat bran was higher than that of the germ, shorts, and flour. The Trego and Intrada varieties had the highest PC content among the 31 wheat varieties studied. Tetracosanol (C24), hexacosanol (C26), and OC (C28) were the major PC components in all varieties. This study showed that wheat varieties grown under identical growing conditions and management differ significantly in PC content and composition.