Quantification of gluten in wheat flour by FT-Raman spectroscopy

Safflower cake as an ingredient for a composite flour development towards a circular economy: extrusion versus conventional mixing

Food waste is responsible for the loss of 1.3 billion tons of food, some of which are related to by-products with great nutritional and energy potential that are still underexplored, such as safflower cake derived from the oil extraction industry. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of incorporating safflower cake (Carthamus tinctorius) and the mixing method used to produce composite wheat-based flour in order to develop a new ingredient. The results were analyzed using ANOVA, and the Tukey test was applied at a significance level of 5 %. The composite flours obtained by the conventional mixing method showed, when compared to wheat flour, a higher concentration of proteins (+5g 100 g-1), minerals (+86 mg kg-1 of Fe, +30 mg kg-1 of Zn), phenolic compounds (15 mg GAE g-1), flavonoids (0.3 mg QE g-1), and lower oil absorption (-0.5 g oil g sample-1), making them suitable for hot flour-based sauces, salad dressings, frozen desserts, cookies and fried products. While extruded composite flours presented better homogenization, reduction of moisture (1 g 100 g-1), lipids (3 g 100 g-1), and mycotoxin concentrations, increased antioxidant activity (DPPH -0.07 IC50 mg/L and ORAC +9 µmol Trolox Eq/g), water absorption and solubility indexes, and oil absorption index, making it suitable for bakery products, meat, and dairy sausages. The developed composite flour proved to be a good nutritional ingredient; thus, its consumption can represent an important nutritional strategy with low production costs, as well as a sustainable solution, reducing food waste and, therefore, toward the concepts of the circular economy.

Interaction with wheat starch affect the aggregation behavior and digestibility of gluten proteins

Understanding the interplay between gluten and wheat starch is crucial for elucidating the digestibility mechanism of gluten in wheat-based products. However, this mechanism remains under-investigated. This study sought to elucidate the influence of starch-induced protein structural modifications on gluten digestion. Our findings revealed that starch considerably enhanced gluten digestion. In the presence of starch, gluten protein digestibility increased from 10.91 % (in the control group with a gluten-to-starch ratio of 1:0) to 14.40 % (in the complex with a gluten-to-corn starch ratio of 1:1). The diminished gluten protein digestibility due to starch may be ascribed to modifications in protein configuration and aggregation behavior. Morphological studies suggested that starch not only functioned as filler particles but also diluted the gluten matrix. A protein network assessment further affirmed that both the junction density and branching rate of gluten proteins decreased notably by 29.9 % and 25.1 %, respectively. Conversely, lacunarity increased by 1.92-fold, compromising the cohesiveness and connectivity of the gluten matrix. Elevated starch concentrations suppressed the formation of disulfide bonds, impeding gluten protein aggregation. Concurrently, gluten-starch interactions were governed by hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic associations. In summary, starch augmented gluten protein digestibility by curtailing their polymerization. This revelation might offer novel perspectives on optimizing gluten protein digestion and utilization.

Reviving grain quality in wheat through non-destructive phenotyping techniques like hyperspectral imaging

A long-term goal of breeders and researchers is to develop crop varieties that can resist environmental stressors and produce high yields. However, prioritising yield often compromises improvement of other key traits, including grain quality, which is tedious and time-consuming to measure because of the frequent involvement of destructive phenotyping methods. Recently, non-destructive methods such as hyperspectral imaging (HSI) have gained attention in the food industry for studying wheat grain quality. HSI can quantify variations in individual grains, helping to differentiate high-quality grains from those of low quality. In this review, we discuss the reduction of wheat genetic diversity underlying grain quality traits due to modern breeding, key traits for grain quality, traditional methods for studying grain quality and the application of HSI to study grain quality traits in wheat and its scope in breeding. Our critical review of literature on wheat domestication, grain quality traits and innovative technology introduces approaches that could help improve grain quality in wheat.

Current Application of Advancing Spectroscopy Techniques in Food Analysis: Data Handling with Chemometric Approaches

In today's era of increased food consumption, consumers have become more demanding in terms of safety and the quality of products they consume. As a result, food authorities are closely monitoring the food industry to ensure that products meet the required standards of quality. The analysis of food properties encompasses various aspects, including chemical and physical descriptions, sensory assessments, authenticity, traceability, processing, crop production, storage conditions, and microbial and contaminant levels. Traditionally, the analysis of food properties has relied on conventional analytical techniques. However, these methods often involve destructive processes, which are laborious, time-consuming, expensive, and environmentally harmful. In contrast, advanced spectroscopic techniques offer a promising alternative. Spectroscopic methods such as hyperspectral and multispectral imaging, NMR, Raman, IR, UV, visible, fluorescence, and X-ray-based methods provide rapid, non-destructive, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly means of food analysis. Nevertheless, interpreting spectroscopy data, whether in the form of signals (fingerprints) or images, can be complex without the assistance of statistical and innovative chemometric approaches. These approaches involve various steps such as pre-processing, exploratory analysis, variable selection, regression, classification, and data integration. They are essential for extracting relevant information and effectively handling the complexity of spectroscopic data. This review aims to address, discuss, and examine recent studies on advanced spectroscopic techniques and chemometric tools in the context of food product applications and analysis trends. Furthermore, it focuses on the practical aspects of spectral data handling, model construction, data interpretation, and the general utilization of statistical and chemometric methods for both qualitative and quantitative analysis. By exploring the advancements in spectroscopic techniques and their integration with chemometric tools, this review provides valuable insights into the potential applications and future directions of these analytical approaches in the food industry. It emphasizes the importance of efficient data handling, model development, and practical implementation of statistical and chemometric methods in the field of food analysis.

From bench to worktop: Rapid evaluation of nutritional parameters in liquid foodstuffs by IR spectroscopy

We evaluated the use of attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy for simultaneous in situ quantification of the nutritional composition of liquid food stuffs in the industrial kitchen context. Different methodologies were compared, including dry and wet acquisition along with instrument parameters and measurement times of 4 and 60 s. The most effective technique was 1-minute measurement, with prediction errors of 2.6, 0.7, 1.0, 2.2, 0.8, 2.4 g/100 mL and 150 Kcal, for carbohydrates, proteins, fat, sugars, saturated fat, water and energy values, respectively.The 4-second method resulted in larger errors but was more applicable for inline measurements. Dry measurements successfully predicted the fractions of proteins, fat, carbohydrates, and sugars, relative to total solids. An app was created to facilitate implementation in a kitchen environment. Compared with other techniques recommended by the FAO, the approach offered a simple alternative for simultaneous prediction of nutritional parameters in an industrial kitchen set-up.

Effects of Physical and Chemical Factors on the Structure of Gluten, Gliadins and Glutenins as Studied with Spectroscopic Methods

This review presents applications of spectroscopic methods, infrared and Raman spectroscopies in the studies of the structure of gluten network and gluten proteins (gliadins and glutenins). Both methods provide complimentary information on the secondary and tertiary structure of the proteins including analysis of amide I and III bands, conformation of disulphide bridges, behaviour of tyrosine and tryptophan residues, and water populations. Changes in the gluten structure can be studied as an effect of dough mixing in different conditions (e.g., hydration level, temperature), dough freezing and frozen storage as well as addition of different compounds to the dough (e.g., dough improvers, dietary fibre preparations, polysaccharides and polyphenols). Additionally, effect of above mentioned factors can be determined in a common wheat dough, model dough (prepared from reconstituted flour containing only wheat starch and wheat gluten), gluten dough (lack of starch), and in gliadins and glutenins. The samples were studied in the hydrated state, in the form of powder, film or in solution. Analysis of the studies presented in this review indicates that an adequate amount of water is a critical factor affecting gluten structure.

Quantification of Ash and Moisture in Wheat Flour by Raman Spectroscopy

Wheat flour is widely used on an industrial scale in baked goods, pasta, food concentrates, and confectionaries. Ash content and moisture can serve as important indicators of the wheat flour’s quality and use, but the routinely applied assessment methods are laborious. Partial least squares regression models, obtained using Raman spectra of flour samples and the results of reference gravimetric analysis, allow for fast and reliable determination of ash and moisture in wheat flour, with relative standard errors of prediction of the order of 2%. Analogous calibration models that enable quantification of carbon, oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen, and hence protein, in the analyzed flours, with relative standard errors of prediction equal to 0.1, 0.3, 3.3, and 1.4%, respectively, were built combining the results of elemental analysis and Raman spectra.

Protein Characteristics that Affect the Quality of Vital Wheat Gluten to be Used in Baking: A Review

The use of vital wheat gluten in the baking industry and wheat flour mills aims to improve the rheological characteristics of flour considered unsuitable to obtain products such as sliced bread, French bread, high-fiber breads, and other products that require strong flours. To improve characteristics such as flour strength, dough mixing tolerance, and bread volume, vital wheat gluten is added to flour at levels that can vary from 2% to 10% (flour basis), with 5% being a commonly used dosage. However, the vital wheat gluten commercialized in the market has few quality specifications, especially related to the characteristics of the proteins that constitute it and are responsible for the formation of the viscoelastic gluten network. Information on protein quality is important, because variations are observed in the technological quality of vital wheat gluten obtained from different sources, which could be associated to damage caused to proteins during the obtainment process. Several tests, either physical-chemical analyses, or rheological tests, are carried out to establish gluten quality; however, they are sometimes time-consuming and costly. Although these tests give good answers to specify gluten quality, flour mills, and the baking industries require fast and simple tests to evaluate the uses and/or dosage of vital gluten addition to wheat flour. This review covers the concepts, uses, obtainment processes, and quality analysis of vital wheat gluten, as well as simple tests to help identify details about protein quality of commercial vital wheat gluten.