High‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunit profiles of eastern US soft winter wheat desirable for making soft‐bite white salted noodles

Abstract

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesHigh‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunits (HMW‐GSs) composition has a significant influence on wheat gluten strength and product quality. Flour protein content and gluten strength required for making soft‐bite white salted noodles (WSNs) are well established, whereas the association of HMW‐GS composition with WSN quality is poorly understood. Eastern US soft winter (ESW) wheat varieties carrying diverse HMW‐GS profiles were evaluated for protein characteristics and WSN‐making quality and compared to those of commercial noodle flours (CNFs) to identify HMW‐GSs desirable for making noodles.FindingsSubunit 2* showed associations with low cooking yield and high hardness of cooked WSN. ESW wheat varieties carrying subunits 2 + 121 produced WSN with higher cooking loss, and lower hardness and tensile force than those carrying subunits 5 + 10, 2 + 12, or 2 + 10. The 1BL/1RS translocation exhibited an association with increased adhesiveness of WSN.ConclusionsESW wheat varieties carrying one of three HMW‐GS profiles, (2*, 7* + 8, 5 + 10), (2*, 7 + 9, 5 + 10) or (2*, 13 + 16, 2 + 12), produced WSN of comparable quality to those prepared from CNFs.Significance and NoveltyThe determination of HMW‐GS composition would be an effective tool for the identification and development of ESW wheat varieties possessing protein characteristics suitable for making WSN.