Wheat and flour quality relations in a commercial mill

The bread-making quality of forty commercial winter wheat samples, grown in the western region of the CzechRepublic, and their flours (white flours with ash content of about 0.5%) prepared in a commercial mill was studied. Standard analytical methods (ash and protein content, wet gluten), amylolytic activity measurement (falling number), rheological investigation (alveograph, gluten index), sedimentation test and laboratory baking test were used for characterization of wheats and flours. In addition NIR method was used to calculate ash, wet gluten, sedimentation value and protein content. Statistically significant correlations were found practically between all tested quality parameters of wheat and corresponding flour samples. However, the strongest correlation (r = 0.69-0.70) significant at 0.01 level exists between specific bread volume and protein and wet gluten content, determined both by standard or by NIR methods.