Effects of Gluten Composition and

Molecular Weight Distribution on the

Noodle Making Potential of Hard
White Wheats

Caryn Ong
Bioresource Research
(Biotechnology)

Dr. Andrew Ross

Dr. Jae Ohm
Crop and Soil Science/Food Science and Technology, OSU
 The task
Breeding of hard white wheat (HWW) varieties is
targeted at developing wheats with both good
breadmaking and good noodlemaking properties.

The overall aim is to increase our knowledge about

the optimum gluten protein composition to satisfy this
dual-purpose requirement.
Specific Objectives

- Determine effect of individual protein components

of gluten on the texture of Asian noodles

- Determine if gluten protein molecular weight

distributions are predictive of noodle texture

- Compare abilities of gluten protein molecular

weight distributions, presence of specific protein
components of gluten and mixograph data to
predict noodle texture.
Justification

- Around 600 million metric tons (mmt) of wheat

produced worldwide annually (2002)

- Around 400 mmt used for human food

- Bread, pasta, noodle

- Wheat is most valuable cereal crop in Oregon

- We need to retain and expand export market share
- Asian noodle market is vital
Justification
Asian Noodles

Asian noodles made up of:

- Flour from common wheat (Triticum
aestivum)
- Water
- Table salt
- or Alkaline salts
- e.g. Sodium or potassium carbonates
- Alkaline noodles are yellower, often firmer and
have unique flavor and aroma compared to
just salted noodles
Noodle quality traits

Texture
- Firmness
- Optimum firmness is regional and type
specific
- Springiness, elasticity, smoothness
Color
- Brightness
- Yellowness / whiteness
Factors that affect noodle
texture:

- Protein
- content
- higher protein content gives firmer
noodles
- composition
- Starch
- starch composition
- amylose:amylopectin ratio
 Materials

- 35 elite HWW breeding lines from OSU

- 2 replications at 2 sites
- Corvallis (Western Oregon)
- High rainfall, leaf disease pressure
- Arlington (Eastern Oregon)
- Low rainfall, deeper soils, drought stress
Wheat proteins

Wheat endosperm proteins are made up of many

component proteins

4 major categories of wheat protein based on solubility

- Glutenin
- Gliadin
- Albumin
- Globulin

Within each category are many different individual proteins

Separation of GLUTENIN into component proteins on SDS-PAGE
Gluten

- Gluten is made up of:

- primarily glutenins and gliadins (~80%)
- starch, lipid and fiber are minor components

- Gluten is formed when water and

mechanical energy (as mixing or sheeting)
is added to the flour

- Gluten gives dough its visco-elasticity and

provides texture to end products
Glutenins

- Storage proteins in endosperm

- exist as high and low MW types

- Functional proteins that provide the elastic

component of dough visco-elasticity
- Gliadins contribute the viscous component
 Glutenin Genetics

Wheat is hexaploid and contains

three related genomes: A, B, & D
each with 7 pairs of chromosomes
numbered 1-7

HMW-GS encoded at Glu-1 loci of

chromosomes 1A, 1B and 1D
- Glu-1A, Glu-1B, Glu-1D

Each locus has multiple alleles

- Alleles not genetically linked
- Any combinations possible
Glutenin Genetics

- Some combinations of HMW-GS

are associated with stronger dough
and better breadmaking quality

- Specific sub-unit effects in noodles

not known
 Glutenin Nomenclature
- Numbering system developed by Payne
and Lawrence

- Assigned relative to SDS mobility

2
2*

5
12
Key Techniques

- SDS PAGE
- identify high molecular weight glutenin subunits
- Size Exclusion HPLC
- Determine molecular weight distribution
- Protein Content
- Quantity analysis
- Mixograph
- recording dough mixer
- Noodle Textural Analysis
- Physical parameters
 Result
SDS PAGE of HMW-GS

Cajeme 71 Moro
Result
Variety 1A 1B 1D
2 1 7+9 5+10
1 2* 7+9 2+12
14 n 7+9 5+10
5 2* 6+8 2+12
4 2* 7 2+12
3 2* 13+19 5+10
7 1 6+8,17+18,7 5+10
13 n 17+18 5+10
 Result
Mixograph Peak Time V HMW-GS Composition

5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
Mixograph
1 Peak Time
0.5
0

2*/7/2+12
2*/7/2+12 2*/7/5+10
2*/7/5+10
2*/6+8/2+12
2*/7+9/2+12
2*/7+9/2+12 n/7+8/5+10 2*/7+9/5+10
2*/7+9/5+10 1/7+9/5+10
2*/7+9/5+10
2*/7+9/5+10
n/17+18/5+10 1/17+18/5+10
HMW-GS Composition
 Result

Flour Protein V Mixograph Peak Time

5

4.5

3.5

2.5

1.5
Mixograph Peak Time
1 Mixo Peak Time
Linear (Mixo Peak Time)
0.5

0
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Flour Protein
 Result
Noodle Hardness at t0

900
800

700
600
500
400

300
Noodle Hardness
200
100
0

2*/7/2+12
2*/7/2+12 2*/7/5+10
2*/7/5+10
2*/6+8/2+12
2*/7+9/2+12
2*/7+9/2+12 n/7+8/5+10 2*/7+9/5+10
2*/7+9/5+10 1/7+9/5+10
2*/7+9/5+10
2*/7+9/5+10
n/17+18/5+10 1/17+18/5+10
HMW-GS Composition
 Result
Flour Protein V Cooked Noodle Hardness

900

850

800

750

t0 Hardness
700 Hardness
Noodle
Linear (t0 Hardness)

650

600
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Flour Protein
Conclusion

- Effects of HMW-GS composition on

dough mixing properties similar to
available literature
- Flour protein content has dominant
affects on cooked noodle hardness
- Contributions of HMW-GS masked by
flour protein content
Future Developments

Rapid Visco Analyzer

- Characterization of starch pasting
properties

Need to account for starch pasting

properties on cooked noodle texture
before reaching a final conclusion
based on collected data
Acknowledgements
HHMI
Oregon Wheat Commission
Dr. Andrew Ross
Dr. Jae B. Ohm
Dr. Kevin Ahern