Among cereals, durum wheat has a central role in the Italian diet and economy, where there is a historical tradition of pasta making. In the present study, we evaluated the nutrient and nutraceutical properties of 2 old and 6 modern durum wheat varieties grown under low input agricultural management. Considering the lack of available data on the adaptability of existing durum wheat varieties to the low input and organic sectors, the research aimed at providing a complete description of the investigated genotypes, considering the agronomic performance as well as the nutrient and phytochemical composition. The experimental trials were carried out at the same location (Bologna, Northern Italy) for two consecutive growing seasons

Due to its significant amount of antioxidants, durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) could potentially contribute to the protection against a number of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. The increasing interest toward healthy food among both consumers and scientists has moved the focus toward the phytochemical content of whole wheat grains. The aim of this study was to identify the phytochemical composition of 22 cultivars belonging to old and modern durum wheat genotypes, including antioxidant capacity (DPPH and FRAP tests). In addition, five phenolic acids involved in the vanillin biosynthesis pathway and in the defence mechanism of plants were screened using UHPLC-MS/MS. Remarkable quantitative differences in the amount of the five phenolic acids analysed (p < 0.05) were detected among the wheat genotypes investigated. Results showed that among the investigated phenolic compounds, trans-ferulic acid was the most abundant, ranging from 13.28 to 324.69 μg/g; all the other identified compounds were present at lower concentrations. Moreover, significant differences on the antioxidant activity were observed. Collected data suggested possible differences between biosynthetic pathway of secondary metabolites among durum wheat genotypes.

The red grain varieties Andriolo, Gentil rosso and Verna were identified as the most promising breeding material for the development of varieties with high nutraceutical value under low-input management. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Summary In the perspective of cereal‐based functional food development, the research compared stone watermill and stone mill which differed in the heating generated during grinding (30 and 60 °C) and the effects of storage on the preservation of phytochemicals. After 6‐month storage of flour, a decrease in soluble dietary fibre (loss of 1.9–2.5 g 100 g−1) and bound polyphenols (loss of 6.2–8.5%) was observed, while other wheat grain components remained unvaried. Comparing the milling techniques, stoneground wheat grains (60 °C) showed the highest amylose (34.7–36.9% of total starch) and resistant starch amounts (0.85–1.16% of total starch), which could be of interest for lowering Glycaemic Index. Stoneground KAMUT® starch had higher tendency to be converted into resistant starch and it also showed the higher degree of starch damage, as compared to the durum wheat variety Claudio. The study provided suggestions for modulating the production chain with the aim of supplying added value to wheat‐based products.

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