Chapter 5 – Wheat: Grain-Quality Characteristics and Management of Quality Requirements

Flour made from wheat is unique as a source of the dough-forming gluten proteins. These gluten proteins have the unique properties needed to make the many wheat-based foods, such as leavened breads, pasta, noodles, flat/pocket breads, steamed breads, biscuits, cakes, pastries and various food ingredients. Therefore wheat, an essential part of the diet of most of the world’s population, is prominent in world trade. Its quality traits are the most critical of all the grains. The glutenin polypeptides (sub-units) make a substantial contribution to dough quality and their composition is used as a selection tool in breeding and in quality-based segregation of grain.