Hot‐paste Viscosity and Alpha‐amylase Susceptibility of Hard Red Winter Wheat Flour

Alpha‐amylase is recognized as a major contributor to the results of viscometric tests on wheat flour. The use of a simple, rapid colorimetric α‐amylase assay to routinely predict amylograph viscosity was studied. Particle size and overall composition of malt fractions did not affect the colorimetric test; and protein content of wheat flours did not consistently affect amylograph viscosity. Equivalent levels of α‐amylase from different malts had similar effects on amylograph viscosity of a single flour; however, a single malt produced various peak viscosities in different flours. The data suggests that the viscosity may be influenced by environmental conditions which alter the starch properties and thereby effect viscosity. Consequently, the colorimetric α‐amylase assay did not reliably predict amylograph viscosity of flours from various locations and environments.