Assessment of some quality parameters of organic and conventional wheat flour

Barbora Fantová

Bachelor's thesis

Abstract:

Common wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a grass widely used for its grain, which has many versatile uses when processed into flour. The composition of the wheat grain as well as the composition of the flour affects the rheological properties of the dough. The thesis aimed to compare the quality parameters of organic and conventional flours and doughs and to monitor changes in the parameters throughout the year. Each month samples of organic and conventional flour were analysed in the laboratory. Flour properties were examined through analyses of moisture content, gluten index and falling number. The rheological properties of the dough were then studied using Mixolab. The results of flour properties showed differences in moisture content, where organic flour mostly did not reach the requirements. Similarly, in wet gluten content, organic flour usually contained less wet gluten than desired unlike conventional flour, which in few of the measurements contained even more than necessary. This suggested that conventional flour was better suited for baking. Nonetheless, the results acquired from Mixolab did not show significant differences between organic and conventional flours throughout most of the year. Only in the last four months starting in October 2022, changes began to occur, although, they were believed to be influenced by the environment, rather than the flour origin, as they occurred in the months following the wheat harvest. Overall, it remained inconclusive whether organic or conventional flour performed better during baking as their differences were not confirmed to significantly affect the finished product.

Keywords

gluten index, Glutomatic, falling number, Mixolab, moisture content

Jazyk práce: English

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 16. 4. 2023

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Obhajoba proběhla 24. 5. 2023
• Vedúci: Ing. Olga Leuner, Ph.D.
• Oponent: Lucie Jurkaninová, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Bachelor programme:
Tropical Agriculture