Evaluacija kvaliteta pšeničnih sorti sa teritorije Vojvodine procenom reoloških karakteristika testa / Quality evaluation of wheat varieties from Vojvodina by assessing dough rheological properties

Regardless the fact that numerous traditional rheological methods have been used for many years in the flour quality assessment, there is a need for developing new methods, which could, in a short time, and with a limited amount of sample, successfully predict the quality of flour and finished products. In this way, wheat breeders would be able to evaluate the technological quality of the wheat lines with a restricted sample quantity, while the millers would be provided with a quick method of the quality evaluation. The main goal of the research of this dissertation was to examine the possibility of using a new rheological device GlutoPeak in the quality evaluation of flour and final product – bread, as well as the possibility of replacing traditional time-consuming methods with a new rheological test. In order to examine the possibility of using a GlutoPeak rheological device for the flour quality evaluation, the optimal measurement conditions were defined and included the use of NaCl as a solvent, the rotational speed of the mixer (2700 rpm), temperature (36 °C), the ratio of flour and solvent (8.5/9.5). Numerous correlations between GlutoPeak indices and empirical rheological parameters of dough behaviour were reported in this study. Significant correations were also observed between GlutoPeak parameters and bread specific volume and breadcrumb textural properties. The limit values were defined according to the GlutoPeak parameters values. Moreover, it was found that the GlutoPeak test could be used for wheat variety diferentiation according to the quality and has a great potential to replace Alveograph in the flour quality assessment in the milling and bakery industries. Parameters which depends on the protein content, such as, flour water absorption and dough tenacity, was successfully predicted by using parameters derived from GlutoPeak tester. A moderate prediction of loaf specific volume was achieved, while a very good prediction of breadcrumb textural characteristics was accomplished with the GlutoPeak parameters. In addition, the influence of genotype and growing location on flour quality was examined in order to determine which of the tested varieties exhibited uniform quality accross different microclimatic conditions in two production years. It was revealed that in both production years flour quality indicators were predominantly influenced by genotype, with a certain influence of microclimate factors on the growing locations. Gordana variety showed excellent and uniform quality with the highest adaptability to microclimate conditions in year 2011. Apache variety showed uniformly poor quality across all tested locations. In year 2012 domestic varieties exhibited variable quality depending on the growing locations. Bread produced from domestic wheat varieties was characterized by a large volume, loose breadcrumb structure with pronounced large pores and low hardness, while the bread produced from Apache variety had a small volume, dense breadcrumb structure with a large number of small pores as a result of high breadcrumb hardness. The quality of bread produced from wheat flour from year 2011 was well predicted based on one rheological quality parameter. On the other hand, several different rheological measurements was performed to successfully predict the quality of bread produced from wheat flour from 2012 year. By analyzing the technological quality of wheat flour of different varieties cultivated at different locations from three production years, large variations in the quality of flour and bread was recorded. The variations in flour and bread quality indicated the significant influence of interactions between the variety and growing conditions (locations and years), as well as the importance of examining these interactions and developing strategies aimed at reducing the impact of external factors on wheat quality