Assessment of chapatti quality of wheat varieties based on physicochemical, rheological and sensory traits

- Wide diversity in wheat quality traits and chapatti-making properties was found among the cultivars.
- Stronger dough resulted in tougher chapattis and reduced the product overall acceptability.
- Protein quantity and quality, damaged starch, and water absorption were critical factors for chapatti.

Fifty wheat varieties were assessed for chapatti quality using grain characteristics, dough rheological properties and pasting characteristics. Results revealed that 88% of wheat varieties studied were medium-hard to hard based on kernel texture. Water absorption and damaged starch were found to be important parameters for chapatti quality as both parameters had significant positive effect on the pliability and puffing height of chapatti. Protein content and gluten strength parameters like SDS sedimentation volume, dough stability and gluten index were found to have a negative impact on chapatti quality. Based on chapatti quality assessment the wheat varieties were classified into four distinct clusters viz. good, acceptable, fair and poor for chapatti making. It was elucidated that 46% of the varieties studied were good to acceptable for chapatti making, while 54% resulted in fair or poor chapatti quality thereby clearly indicating the need to establish and substantiate the development of product-specific varieties.