Comparative study of selected wheat species’ chemical composition

Research on cereal products including pasta and bread requires insight into chemical composition of cereal grains along with other ingredients and processing conditions. Wheat grains consist of macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and lipids) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), the quantity and quality of which influence nutritional, functional and organoleptic characteristics of the final products. This study has highlighted differences in macronutrient content of wheat cultivars including underutilized ones cultivated in Austria. It can be concluded that einkorn has high amount of mineral, soluble DF and fat content, which makes it promising in terms of nutrition. T. turanicum possess high amount of protein, which is ideal for technological applications like bread and pasta making. The starch content did not vary significantly between cultivars. T. aestivum cultivar 10 showed the highest amount of starch. In terms of dietary fiber T. aestivum 6 exhibited the highest amount. Further studies on micronutrient content of these wheat cultivars, various abrasive fractions and assessing their role in nutrition and bakery products is recommended.

Keywords:

wheat , chemical composition , protein , starch , fat