Grain Germination Changes the Profile of Phenolic Compounds and Benzoxazinoids in Wheat: A Study on Hard and Soft Cultivars.

Pre-harvest sprouting is a frequent problem for wheat culture that can be simulated by laboratory-based germination. Despite reducing baking properties, wheat sprouting has been shown to increase the bioavailability of some nutrients. It was investigated whether wheat cultivars bearing distinct grain texture characteristics (BRS Guaraim, soft vs. BRS Marcante, hard texture) would have different behavior in terms of the changes in phytochemical compounds during germination. Using LC-Q-TOF-MS, higher contents of benzoxazinoids and flavonoids were found in the hard cultivar than in the soft one. Free phytochemicals, mainly benzoxazinoids, increased during germination in both cultivars. Before germination, soft and hard cultivars had a similar profile of matrix-bound phytochemicals, but during germination, these compounds have been shown to decrease only in the hard-texture cultivar, due to decreased levels of phenolic acids (trans-ferulic acid) and flavonoids (apigenin) that were bound to the cell wall through ester-type bonds. These findings confirm the hypothesis that hard and soft wheat cultivars have distinct behavior during germination concerning the changes in phytochemical compounds, namely the matrix-bound compounds. In addition, germination has been shown to remarkably increase the content of benzoxazinoids and the antioxidant capacity, which could bring a health-beneficial appeal for pre-harvested sprouted grains.

Thermal and irradiation resistance of folic acid encapsulated in zein ultrafine fibers or nanocapsules produced by electrospinning and electrospraying.

The objectives of this study were to characterize zein fibers and capsules prepared by electrospinning and electrospraying techniques, respectively, and then use them to encapsulate folic acid. Folic acid containing fibers and capsules (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5%, w/v) were submitted to thermal treatment (100, 140, and 180 °C) and ultraviolet A light (UVA) irradiation to evaluate the resistance of folic acid. Zein fibers and capsules containing folic acid showed high encapsulation efficiency (>80%). Unencapsulated folic acid showed a reduction in folic acid content from 17.17 µg/mL to 5.44 µg/mL (approximately 70%) when exposed to 180 °C. Photodegradation of unencapsulated folic acid lowered its concentration from 17.17 µg/mL to 12.58 µg/mL (~26% of reduction), when exposed for 1 h to UVA irradiation. However, folic acid concentration when encapsulated in fibers (1.5%) was maintained or only slightly reduced from 9.73 µg/mg to 8.88 µg/mg after thermal treatment at 180 °C. The capsules containing 1.5% of folic acid also presented a slight reduction in folic acid concentration from 8.84 µg/mg to 7.88 µg/mg when exposed to 24 h of UVA irradiation. Zein fibers and capsules containing folic acid present promising characteristics for application in foods that require thermal processing or exposure to irradiation.

Treinamento para perfil de textura sensorial em pães / Training for sensory texture profiling of bread

Um painel treinado é uma ferramenta importante, com ampla aplicação na panificação. No entanto, o tempo e os recursos financeiros necessários para o treinamento são significativos. O objetivo do trabalho foi selecionar e treinar avaliadores para se tornarem experts no perfil de textura para análise sensorial descritiva de pães de trigo integral com substituto de gordura. Os candidatos foram selecionados por testes com intuito de discriminarem e descreverem as diferenças de textura entre alimentos. Os candidatos aprenderam sobre dureza, elasticidade, coesividade e mastigabilidade e construíram escala de classificação de pão comercial padrão brasileira, que serviu como referência para analisar as amostras. Após o treinamento, os avaliadores foram capazes de avaliar de forma confiável as amostras de pão em estudo.

Resultados agronômicos e qualitativos da nova cultivar de trigo 'BRS Marcante' / Agronomic and qualitative results of the new wheat cultivar 'BRS Marcante'

A cultivar de trigo 'BRS Marcante' foi desenvolvida pela Embrapa, envolvendo um híbrido F1 do cruzamento entre as linhagens PF 980533 e PF 970227 com a cultivar 'BRS Guamirim', realizado em telado, na Embrapa Trigo, no inverno de 2003. As gerações segregantes foram conduzidas pelo método genealógico e a linhagem resultante, nomeada de PF 080310. A cultivar caracteriza-se pela sua ampla capacidade de adaptação às condições de cultivo do sul do Brasil, pelo bom potencial de rendimento de grãos e qualidade industrial da classe Pão.

The wheat cultivar 'BRS Marcante' was developed by Embrapa, as a result a cross between F1 hybrid between lines PF 980533 and PF 970227 with 'BRS Guamirim' and carried out in a green-house of Embrapa Wheat, on 2003 winter season. The segregate generations were conducted by genealogic method and the genotype resulted was named PF 080310. It has wide adaptation ability to south Brazilian conditions, high grain yield potential and belongs to Bread Class.

Propriedades de pasta de mesclas de farinha integral com farinha refinada usadas na produção de pães / Pasting properties of whole and refined wheat flour blends used for bread production

Na produção de pães integrais de trigo no Brasil, são utilizadas mesclas de farinha integral (FI) com farinha refinada (FR), as quais diferem em sua composição. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi investigar as propriedades de pasta de mesclas de FI com FR. Foram analisadas amostras com 100% de FI, 100% de FR (controles) e mesclas de FI com FR nas proporções de 20, 40, 60 e 80%, em equipamento RVA (Rapid Visco Analyzer). A temperatura de pasta das amostras foi semelhante. A viscosidade máxima diminuiu proporcionalmente com o aumento de FI na mescla. Maiores valores de quebra e de viscosidade mínima à temperatura constante foram encontrados em farinhas com pico de viscosidade elevado. Os valores de viscosidade final e de tendência à retrogradação diminuíram à medida que aumentou o teor de FI na mescla. As propriedades de pasta das mesclas de FI com FR devem ser vistas de forma conjunta, pois afetam a produção de pão e o armazenamento. Os resultados mostraram também que o RVA pode ser usado para ajudar a formular mesclas de FI/FR com certas propriedades de pasta.

In whole wheat bread production in Brazil blends of whole flour (WF) with refined flour (RF) are used, which differ in their composition. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the pasting properties of WF with RF blends. Samples with 100% of WF, 100% of RF (controls) and blends of WF with RF in the proportions of 20, 40, 60 and 80% were analyzed, in a RVA (Rapid Visco Analyzer) equipment. The samples pasting temperatures were similar. The peak viscosity decreased proportionally with the increase of WF in blends. Higher values of breakdown and holding strength were found in flour with high viscosity peak. Final viscosity and setback values decreased as the content of WF in blends increased. The pasting properties of WF with RF blends must be seen in a combined way, because they affect bread production and storage. The results also showed that RVA can be used to help in formulating WF/RF blends with certain pasting properties.

Resultados agronômicos e qualitativos da nova cultivar de trigo 'BRS 296' / Agronomic and qualitative results of the new wheat cultivar 'BRS 296'

A cultivar de trigo 'BRS 296', desenvolvida pela Embrapa, foi registrada para cultivo em 2009. Originou-se do cruzamento entre o genitor feminino PF 93232 e o genitor masculino COOK*4/VPM1, realizado em telado, na Embrapa Trigo, no verão de 1992/1993. As gerações segregantes foram conduzidas pelo método genealógico até a fixação da linhagem, nomeada de PF 990283. Caracteriza-se pela sua excelente sanidade foliar e de espiga e pela estabilidade de produção. Preliminarmente, está enquadrada na classe comercial Pão e seu cultivo é recomendado para todas as regiões tritícolas do Brasil.

The wheat cultivar BRS 296, developed by Embrapa, was released to production in 2009. It was originated of cross between PF 93232 and COOK*4/VPM1, carried out in green-house, in the summer of 1992/1993. The segregate generations were conducted by genealogic method until homozigose of genotype, named PF 990283. It has excellent leave and spike sanity and production stability. Preliminarily, it was classified as Bread Wheat and is recommended to all wheat regions of Brazil.