The main objective of this study was to investigate the nature of farinograph absorption (FA) in CWRW flours which is typically lower than CWRS wheats. FA for CWRW genotype samples ranged from 54 - 65%. Phloroglucinol assay of pentosan content (PC) proved to be accurate and precise. The most highly correlated parameters to FA were volume fractions of large (or small) flour particles determined by laser diffraction, protein content, starch damage and water soluble PC. Correlations to FA for these factors were in the range r = 0.40 to 0.68. A promising 4-variable regression model of FA prediction (R2 = 0.64) was developed. CWRW wheats tended to be low in FA due to low levels of wheat hardness, protein content, or PC. Increasing the levels of these parameters by breeding would likely practically improve FA of future CWRW cultivars. An extended abstract is included at the end of this thesis.

Published Article / An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of substituting wheat flour (WF) for cassava flour (CF) on chemical composition, storage stability and sensory qualities of beef sausage. The WF in the sausage was replaced with CF at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% levels. Values obtained for protein content were comparable with one another. However, fibre content increased with the increase in the levels of CF in the sausage. The highest fibre content of 0.43% was recorded in sausage with 15% CF. Fat content tended to decrease with increase in the levels of CF in the sausage. Values obtained for cooking and refrigeration losses were comparable with one another. Cooking losses ranged between 1.08 - 1.85% while refrigeration loss ranged from 7.60-8.53%. Compared with the control, higher panel scores were recorded on sensory qualities for sausages containing CF. WF in beef sausage can be substituted with 100% CF without adverse effect on chemical composition, processing yield or sensory qualities. This approach will satisfy the growing demand of consumers for gluten-free meat products, thereby minimising the incidence of coeliac disease in humans.

No description available.

Master of Science / Department of Grain Science and Industry / Yong-Cheng Shi / Jon M. Faubion / One long-term goal of cereal science research is to increase the shelf life of baked products and one approach to that goal has been the use of emulsifiers. Emulsifiers are surface-active agents, some of which improve specific properties of baked products. Two emulsifiers, sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL) and oleyl lactylic acid (OLA) are similar in structure, the difference being the acid moiety: stearic versus oleic acid. Widely researched, SSL has found many uses in baked products. However, how OLA interacts with starch/flour in baked products or how that interaction affects product quality is not well understood. The objective of this study was to understand the interactions between normal wheat starch and these emulsifiers, as well as the differences between SSL and OLA in those regards. The effects of the two emulsifiers on the pasting properties of wheat starch and wheat flour were determined using a MicroViscoAmylograph. Heating at 6oC/min with increased emulsifier concentration (0-2%) resulted in increased hot paste viscosity and apparent interaction of both emulsifiers with wheat starch. Solid content affected both maximum hot and final viscosity. OLA produced increased maximum hot and final viscosities with increased starch concentration and emulsifier concentrations. For wheat flour, higher concentrations of SSL reduced both maximum hot paste and final viscosities. OLA behaves differently with wheat flour. At lower flour concentrations, higher concentrations of OLA reduced maximum hot viscosity. The effects of SSL on starch were affected by an increased heating and cooling rate (10oC/min). Heating stage microscopic analysis revealed that the presence of emulsifiers inhibited granular swelling beyond the normal gelatinization temperature (65oC) in both starch and flour systems. OLA’s effect in this respect was greater than that of SSL. Complex formation between emulsifiers and wheat starch and wheat flour was determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). For isolated wheat starch and hard wheat flour, DSC and XRD indicated that OLA complexes to a greater extent than does SSL. For flour, XRD indicated no difference exhibited in the interaction of the emulsifiers with the flours. KEYWORDS: Emulsifiers, Starch, Wheat flour

A cost-effective, faster and efficient way of screening wheat samples suitable for tortilla production is needed. Hence, we developed prediction models for tortilla quality (diameter, specific volume, color and texture parameters) using grain, flour and dough properties of 16 wheat flours. The prediction models were developed using stepwise multiple regression. Dough rheological tests had higher correlations with tortilla quality than grain and flour chemical tests. Dough resistance to extension was correlated best with tortilla quality, particularly tortilla diameter (r= -0.87, P<0.01). Gluten index was significantly correlated with tortilla diameter (r = -0.67, P less than 0.01) and specific volume (r = -0.73, P less than 0.01). Tortilla diameter was the parameter best predicted. An r2 of 0.87 was obtained when mix-time and dough resistance to extension were entered into the model. This model was validated using another sample set, and an r^2 of 0.91 was obtained. Refined and whole wheat flours, dough and tortillas were compared using five wheat samples. Refined flour doughs were more extensible and softer than whole wheat flour doughs. Whole wheat flour tortillas were larger, thinner and less opaque than refined flour tortillas. Refined wheat flour had much smaller particle size and less fiber than whole wheat flour. These are the major factors that contributed to the observed differences. In general, refined wheat tortillas were more shelf-stable than whole wheat tortillas. However, whole wheat tortillas from strong flours had excellent shelf-stability which must be considered when whole wheat tortillas are processed. . Different objective rheological techniques were used to characterize the texture of refined and whole flour tortillas during storage. Differences in texture between 0, 1 and 4 day-old tortillas were detected by rupture distance from one and two-dimension extensibility techniques. In general, the deformation modulus was not a good parameter to differentiate tortilla texture at the beginning of storage. It detected textural changes of 8 and 14 day-old tortillas. The subjective rollability method detected textural changes after 4 days storage.

Master of Science / Department of Grain Science and Industry / Yong-Cheng Shi / Jon Faubion / The rheological properties of two waxy and two normal wheat flours were investigated and the observed differences between them were explained by biochemical analysis. Protein analysis showed that waxy flour had lower polymeric to monomeric ratio (0.70 and 0.58 for waxy flour compared to 0.75 and 0.76 for normal flour) and higher gliadin content in waxy wheat dough (43.9 and 47.3 for waxy wheat dough compared to 41.0 and 41.7 for normal wheat dough). Waxy flour had high amounts of insoluble (IPP) and unextractable (UPP) polymeric protein despite the poor dough forming properties of the waxy flours, contrary to previous correlations made between IPP, UPP and dough strength. Gluten index determination showed a clear difference between waxy and normal flour; there was no gluten aggregation when the waxy samples were tested. The determination of gluten index done on a variety of water washed flour samples indicated that the water-extractable fraction may contain compounds that affect gluten aggregation. HPLC analysis coupled with arabinose/xylose ratio and viscosity determination of the water extractable portion of the flour indicated that water extractable arabinoxylans (WEAX) in waxy wheat flour were different in composition and conformation. Further research is needed to determine if they could be responsible for the lack of gluten aggregation in waxy flour.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Andrew P. Barkley / The objectives of this thesis is to use regression models and market trends to determine whether the changing product mix of Ardent Mills has an impact on volume, sales dollars, and margin dollars. The results will be used to build a market analysis of Ardent Mills’ product mix strategy. Flour milling is a highly competitive industry. Ardent Mills is constantly looking to increase profits and become more valuable to its customers. Specialty products have created a new opportunity, but the opportunity costs must also be considered. Determining what new products to develop, where to manufacture them, and whether to create new capacity or convert existing capacity are difficult decisions that must be made. The data used in this thesis were collected from Ardent Mills’ sales records from June 1, 2014 through December 31, 2016. Type of product, sales volume, sales dollars, and margin dollars were collected for each month to be analyzed. The study determined that increasing the volume of whole wheat flour sales decreases white flour volume, total flour volume, white flour sales dollars, and total flour sales dollars. Increasing the volume of UltraGrain increases white flour sales dollars and total flour sales dollars. Increasing the volume of wheat-based specialty products increases the volume of white flour and the volume of total flour. As the demand for UltraGrain and wheat-based specialty products increases, the demand for white flour increases as well. Decreasing wheat prices have allowed for additional margin to be captured.

The effects of different types and amounts of sodium bicarbonate (NBC) were evaluated during the processing of flour tortillas. Fat encapsulated NBC, BS199, BS195, BS193, BS180, BS184, HM50 and HM70, and different particle-sized, non-encapsulated NBC, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3 and Tortilla Blend TM, were tested at different levels and combinations. Longer shelf stable tortillas with lower opacity were obtained when the level of NBC decreased. Tortillas with higher opacity, diameter and volume were obtained using the correct types of NBC. Increased tortilla opacity, thickness and shelf stability were obtained using 3 g encapsulated NBC/kg compared to non-encapsulated NBC. Encapsulation of NBC enables a temperature-triggered leavening reaction during baking of tortillas. Combinations of different levels and ratios of fast- and slow-release NBC did not yield significant improvements in tortilla properties. Tetrasodium pyrophosphate (TSPP, 0.15%) was added to modify protein functionality in tortilla dough containing less NBC. Tortillas with improved opacity, thickness and shelf stability resulted using TSPP with 3 g Grade 1 NBC/kg but similar improvements were not seen with encapsulated NBC. The effects of TSPP with low levels of NBC and slow reacting leavening acids were tested. Slight improvements in opacity were observed with sodium aluminum phosphate (SALP) compared to sodium aluminum sulfate (SAS) using encapsulated and non-encapsulated NBC. Tortillas produced with these formulations have longer shelf stabilities with similar properties. This benefits the consumers. The manufacturing costs for ingredients are 1.2% less using 0.15% TSPP with 3 g non-encapsulated NBC/kg flour. The manufacturer gains not only by the reduced cost of ingredients but also by the increased ease of attaining target diameter of tortillas. This could also be accomplished by using less dough to form the tortilla.

Bread owes its appeal to its aerated structure which directly relies on the bubbles entrained into the dough during mixing. If the bubble size distribution (BSD) in the dough can be determined at the end of mixing, then the resulting loaf quality could be predicted before bread is fully manufactured. However, non-invasively monitoring the structure of a fragile opaque soft solid such as dough is challenging. This thesis addressed the challenge by determining dough’s BSD and its evolution using ultrasound and X-ray microtomography. Using a resonant scattering model and the frequency dependence of the ultrasonic parameters measured in the dough, the change in the BSD in dough (made without yeast) with time as a result of disproportionation was determined. At 30 min after mixing, the median radius (R0) of the lognormal BSD was 6.5 microns. Converting the BSD to the radius dependence of bubble volume fraction (BVF(R)), R0V (the median radius of BVF(R)) was 66.4 microns and increased 18 % in the succeeding 90 min. In order to validate the bubble sizes determined ultrasonically, X-rays from a synchrotron source were utilized to examine dough’s microstructure. Large numbers of very small bubbles were discovered and it was apparent that lognormality did not describe the BSDs. Nevertheless, lognormal characterization of the BVF(R) was appropriate. At 30 min after mixing R0V of the BVF(R) was 32.5 microns and it increased by 20 % in the succeeding 90 min, supporting the ultrasonic quantification of bubble volume changes due to disproportionation. Changes in the mode, median and mean of the BVF(R) with time after mixing had the same trend for ultrasound and for X-ray microtomography. The time evolution of the mode of the BVF(R) obtained by ultrasound and X-ray microtomography matched very well; both increasing linearly as a function of time. Ultrasonic assessments of bubble sizes and their changes with time are very encouraging, but the ultrasonic model should use distribution functions that precisely define the empirical data, perhaps not making ‘pre-assumptions’ of lognormality for the BSD data. / February 2015

In this study sprouting two different wheat cultivars under various environmental conditions revealed that varietal variation is the most important factor affecting α-amylase quantity as well as quality to modify flour functionality significantly, followed by pre-soaking duration and temperature. Sprouted wheat flour post five days germination was utilized at different rates to prepare 100 g composite breads. There was an improvement in baking quality and shelf life of breads containing 1% and 5% sprouted flour resulting in a significantly increased loaf volume, better texture, and less retrogradation during 7 days post baking than the control. This study presents opportunities for industry to fortify baked products with sprouted wheat flour to yield functional whole grain products that are nutrient dense and naturally shelf-stable. / MITACS