PHYSICOCHEMICAL QUALITIES AND NUTRITIONAL ATTRIBUTES OF STABLE BREAD WHEAT VARIETIES REPRESENTING DIVERSE GENETIC ORIGINS

Abstract

Ten commercial genetically improved wheat varieties namely: Punjab-96, Kiran-95. Mehran-89, Shahkar-87, Pirsabak-85, Parwaz-94, Tandojam-83, Abadgar-93, Chakwal-86 and Anmol-91, representing diverse genetic origins were investigated for physicochemical properties and nutritional attributes including moisture content, protein content, wet and dry gluten, gluten index, water binding in wet gluten content, near infrared reflectance (NIR), hardness and falling number, for assessing their end-product suitability and consumer's preference. Protein contents of all genotypes were found in the range 12.2% to 15.6%. Moisture contents of all genotypes ranged from 9.2% to 10.2%. Hardness of all samples ranged from score 48 to 58. Gluten index ranged from 38.8 to 75.3, depicting wide range of strength. Falling number of all genotypes was more than 400 seconds. This proved the absence of alpha-amylase activity. The results revealed that all the studied varieties are suitable for all types of breads including flat leavened and un-leavened bread.