Pasting properties, baking quality, and starch digestibility of einkorn, emmer, spelt, and hard red spring wheat

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Hulled wheat species have been recognized as interesting raw materials to produce niche products. More research studies are necessary on the hulled wheat species' quality, processability, and functional and nutritional properties to develop novel food products. This study was conducted to evaluate the pasting properties, baking quality, and in vitro starch digestibility of hulled wheat species. Findings: Significantly (p < .05) higher peak viscosity values were observed in spelt, while significantly (p < .05) higher final viscosity values were observed in einkorn. Results of the baking quality revealed that there are potential genotypes of spelt that can be used to make specialty bread with similar loaf characteristics as hard red spring wheat. Significantly (p < .05) higher slowly digestible starch content was found in einkorn, emmer, and spelt compared to hard red spring wheat. Conclusions: Einkorn, emmer, and spelt used in this study, differ from hard red spring wheat in terms of dough properties, baking quality, starch digestibility, and pasting properties. Significance and Novelty: The results of this study made a detailed comparison between hulled wheat and modern bread wheat grown in North Dakota, therefore, results would be useful in breeding to develop and release new and improved lines of hulled wheat species.