Relationship between Yellow Alkaline Noodle Quality and Flour Properties in Hard Wheat Varieties in the Central Region of Japan

Abstract

Quality of yellow alkaline noodle (YAN) made from hard wheat varieties and breeding lines in Central Region of Japan was evaluated by sensory assessment. The effects of protein content, amylose content, and dough properties on YAN quality were investigated using Japanese hard wheat. Protein content was highly correlated with noodle color, and the color of noodles made from white seed varieties was superior to that of noodles made from red seed varieties. Thus the seed color is one of the important factors for YAN quality. The texture of noodles made from low amylose type varieties was very smooth. This texture is useful for new noodle products. The hardness and elasticity of noodles after immersion in soup for 8 minutes, which are important determinants of YAN quality, were highly correlated with protein contents, farinogram characteristics and noodle cutting stress. The quality of YAN made from the wheat with strong dough property was superior to that made from other varieties. Therefore YAN quality of Japanese hard wheat can be improved by genetically introducing high-molecular-weight-glutenin subunits which effectively strengthen the dough property (e. g. Glu-D1d, 5+10 subunit).