Protein Functionality Differences in Eastern U.S. Soft Wheat Cultivars and Interrelation with End-Use Quality Tests

Fifty-nine samples of eastern U.S. soft winter wheat consisting of eight cultivars, with six to eight replications, were investigated for milling, cookie baking, and physical and chemical tests of quality and interrelations for predicting end-use quality. Three of the cultivars with 5+10 Glu-D1 high molecular weight subunit composition yielded significantly higher (P=0.01) break flour and gave lower damaged starch, lower gluten hydration, longer dough mixing times and larger diameter cookies with superior top grain compared to those of five cultivars with 2+12 Glu-D1 high molecular weight subunit composition. Dough development time and gluten hydration tests showed significant positive correlations with the milling parameters and a negative correlation with damaged starch contents of the flours. Due to the highly significant correlation coefficient (r=0.94, n=59) of Zeleny- and sodium dodecyl sulfate-sedimentation values, either can be used to test the strength of protein in the soft wheat flours. For better prediction of end-use quality, the results suggest integration of protein/gluten functionality testing with existing tests as an important facet of quality testing in soft wheats.