Wheat flour fermentation study

Abstract

Fermentograph and baking properties of 98 wheat flour samples (two sets of commercial and one set of variety) were evaluated in the form of fermented dough. Analytical traits (ash and protein contents, wet gluten, Falling Number, Zeleny sedimentation value), fermentograph parameters (gases volume, the volume of dough and the time of its max. increase), and the laboratory baking test were used for the characterisation of flours and doughs. Differences found between the two commercial flour sets were small and were influenced by the year of harvest. Significant differences were found between commercial and variety flours both in the fermentograph behaviour and in the baking test results. Lower dough volumes and lower bread specific volumes for variety flours in comparison with commercial ones were caused by a worse quality of proteins. Statistical analysis on significance level 99% showed correlations between the gases volume and the dough volume r = 0.5264), between the gases volume and the time of dough maximum (r = -0.7689), and between the dough volume and the specific volume of bread (r = 0.5452).

Keywords

• wheat flour
• fermented dough
• fermentograph
• baking test
• maturograph
• oven rice recorder