Variations in physicochemical and functional properties of starches extracted from European soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): The importance to preserve the varietal identity

The quality valuation of wheat is based on characteristics like yield, specific weight, protein content and protein quality. Until now, the starch properties are rarely considered as a quality criterion. In this study, we showed the influence of wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.) and culture year on the intrinsic properties of starch, extracted from European wheat grown in the same conditions. For example, starch damage varied from 13.2 to 19.9 CDU in function of the cultivars and contribution of the B-type starch granules (<10 μm) to the total volume ranged from 11.6% to 29.9%. Starch viscosity at 95 °C, characterized with α-amylase inactivation by 2 mM AgNO3 addition, varied from 276.5 to 351.5 BU with the wheat cultivars. It is apparent from this study that starch properties were principally influenced by the wheat cultivar and slightly by the culture year. A good relationship between the pasting properties of whole flour and starch were finally established, showing the important role of starch in the whole flour viscosity. A thorough working knowledge of starch properties could lead to an appropriate selection of wheat cultivar, well-adapted to industrial end uses, without encountering processing or end-products quality problems and with most cost-competitive production.