QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS
Grain quality is characterized into two main factors
(i) intrinsic factors, and (ii) extrinsic factors.
The intrinsic factors of grain includes, color, composition, bulk
density, odor, aroma, size and shape.
Color is an important primary factor for characterization and
grading, trade, and processing of grain. It is a common criterion
used in wheat trade.
The main compositions of grain are carbohydrates (energy),
protein, lipids, mineral, fiber, phytic acid, and tannins. It varies
significant depends on the type of grain, genetics, varieties,
agricultural practice, and handling of the grain.
Grain composition plays a significant role in grading and
marketing of grains.
Bulk density is defined as the ratio of the mass to a given
volume of a grain sample including the interstitial voids between
the particles.
Size and shape are important factors in grain quality and
grading; it varies between grain to grain and between varieties of
the same species.
The extrinsic factors include: age, broken grain, immature grain,
foreign matter, infected grain and moisture content.
Wheat quality can best be described in terms of nutritional
quality, milling, and baking and rheology quality. In general
wheat needs to be sound, clean, well mature, free from foreign
material and damaged.
Wheat quality
In general wheat quality can be divided into three main groups (i)
botanical (species and varieties), (ii) physical (iii) and chemical
characteristics.
Botanical Criteria of Quality In botanical terms, wheat quality can be
described as (i) species and (ii) varieties.
Physical criteria
Physical characteristics of wheat quality includes, grain weight,
hardness, grain size and shape, vitreousness and color.
Physical properties of grain such as wheat play a very important role in
the quality of the grain, and in final products such as flour. Main physical
properties that influence quality of wheat are test weight, hardness, grain
size and shape, vitreousness and color.
Test weight
Test weight of wheat is considered the most common and easiest way to
quantify wheat. It is an important quality factor in wheat grading as it
gives rough estimates of flour yields. The basic factors that affect the test
weight of wheat are kernel size and shape, kernel density, maturity of
wheat, and actual wheat variety.
Hardness
The hardness of wheat endosperm is critical in determining the suitability of
wheat for various end products and influences the processing and milling of
wheat. It is the common characteristic used by millers and trader to classify
wheat. In term of hardness wheat can be classified as either hard or soft.
Color
In terms of color, wheat is classified into two classes (i.e. red wheat and white
wheat), hard red winter wheat is considered superior and commonly used for
bread flour production, while white wheat are usually used for cake, chapattis,
and pasta (macaroni), each types of wheat has different properties such as
taste, baking quality and milling yields.
Vitreousness
Wheat vitreousness is an optical property used by many countries to grade or
quantify durum wheat. Based on vitreouness, wheat can be classified into three
main classes: vitreous, mealy and piebald .Vitreous wheat differs from non-
vitreous by kernel appearance (starchy and opaque); vitreous wheat are
considered better quality than non-vitreous kernels, because of higher quality
semolina protein, nice color and uniform coarser granulation.
Chemical (quality) properties of wheat
Moisture contents
Wheat grain normal harvested at 10-12% moisture contents. In most
countries moisture contents is not part of grading system, but is the most
important factors affecting quality of wheat grain, hence is inversely related
to dry matter loss. Moisture contents has two significance important in
wheat quality (i) too low (too dry) result wheat to break during storage and
handling operation and (ii) too high will facilitate molds growth which lead
to deterioration.
Protein content
Protein is not part of wheat a grading factors, but its quantity and quality are
the most important properties in wheat business. Most buyers and millers
need to know the amount of protein contents of wheat before buys it. Wheat
contains five different classes of protein; (i) albumin (soluble in water), (ii)
globulin (soluble in salt solution) (iii) gliadin (soluble in 70% aqueous
ethanol) (iv) proteose and (v) glutenin (soluble in dilute acid or alkali).
Other important quality of wheat are milling and baking quality
Milling quality
Most of wheat is commercially sold as milled flour or semolina, hence milling
quality is a crucial factor in wheat trade. Milling depends on three main factors
(i) size and evenness of kernels- there is a close correlation with the weight of
grain, determined by thousand-kernel weight, (ii) texture of the endosperm-
characterized by glassiness or pearling index and hardness. They influence the
utilization of energy required for milling as well as the amount of semolina
obtained, and (iii) percentage ratio of the seed-coat- the larger the kernel the
lower the ratio of seed-coat, and if the layers are not thicker, then the
percentage of the seed-coat will decreases too, and color of endosperm and
seed-coat.[
Baking quality
Baking quality is another criterion used to determine the quality and suitability
of wheat; baking quality depends on types of wheat uses and processing
conditions, for instance the strong (hard) wheat are considered of the higher
quality and suitable for bread making, where most of cakes made from soft
wheat flour. Baking quality is determined by rheological properties of wheat
flour. The rheological property of wheat flour is essential because it determine
other physical characteristics such as dough (baking) volume and sensory
attributes.
