Quality characteristics of five pilot‐scale milled Canadian hard white spring wheats were compared to a No.1 grade commercial composite Canada Western Red Spring (1CWRS) wheat. One metric ton of samples was milled on the Canadian International Grains Institute pilot Buhler mill (Buhler AG, Uzwil, Switzerland) into straight‐grade (SG), 85% and whole wheat flours. At the SG extraction level, the white wheats with their lighter colored seed coats had improved milling yields (up to 2.6%) and lower ash (0.01–0.09%) than the 1CWRS control wheat. Majority of white wheat flours had higher protein contents than the 1CWRS control flours for all flour extractions. Based on dough rheological properties of the flours, three of the white wheats (Kanata, Snowbird and BW 275 ) were equal to or better than the red 1CWRS control for nearly all farinograph and mixograph parameters at all flour extractions other than farinograph absorption. Two of the white wheat lines (RL 4863 and RL 4858 ) had excessively weak and overly strong dough properties, respectively. Evaluation of pan bread, bagels and tortillas showed that white wheats generally produced end‐products that were comparable or superior to 1CWRS and that their most significantly positive quality compared to 1CWRS was their substantially lighter colored end‐products.

Red and white wheat comparisons have not always shown consistent flavor differences. The objective was to compare flavor properties of whole wheat pan and pita breads made from white and red Canadian hard spring wheats. Flavor attributes were defined by trained panelists who marked intensities using 15-cm line scales. Pan bread made from BW275 and Kanata had significantly lower wheat and wheaty aftertaste intensity than AC Domain (red) and RL4863. Pita bread from Kanata had significantly higher sweet intensity than RL4858, Snowbird and AC Domain (red). Principal component analysis accounted for 74-75% of the variance in both bread types. Biplots showed that some of the white wheat breads tended to be sweeter with less wheaty and bitter with wheaty, bitter and sour aftertastes. Red wheat breads tended to be less sweet, more wheaty and bitter with wheaty, bitter and sour aftertastes. Higher wheaty flavor intensity was associated with visually darker breads. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThe study revealed that there were distinct flavor differences in pan bread and pita bread made from red and white wheats. The sweeter and milder flavor observed for some white wheats could be a marketing advantage for these newly developed wheats. In pan and pita bread products targeted to consumers that dislike the often wheaty and bitter taste of whole wheat products made from red wheat, white wheat derived whole wheat products with their milder taste may be more acceptable.