Biomechanical properties of wheat grains: the implications on milling

Millennia of continuous innovation have driven ever increasing efficiency in the milling process. Mechanically characterizing wheat grains and discerning the structure and function of the wheat bran layers can contribute to continuing innovation. We present novel shear force and puncture force testi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the Royal Society interface 2017-01, Vol.14 (126), p.20160828-20160828
Main Authors: Hourston, James E., Ignatz, Michael, Reith, Martin, Leubner-Metzger, Gerhard, Steinbrecher, Tina
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biomaterial Characterization
Biomechanics
Cultivars
Downstream effects
Edible Grain - chemistry
Endosperm
Food Handling
Grain
Identification methods
Innovations
Life Sciences–Engineering interface
Mechanical properties
Microprocessors
Microwaves
Milling
Profits
Seed Biomechanics
Shear Force
Stratification
Stress, Mechanical
Structure-function relationships
Tempering
Tissue Weakening
Triticum
Triticum - chemistry
Triticum aestivum
Wheat
Wheat bran
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Summary:Millennia of continuous innovation have driven ever increasing efficiency in the milling process. Mechanically characterizing wheat grains and discerning the structure and function of the wheat bran layers can contribute to continuing innovation. We present novel shear force and puncture force testing regimes to characterize different wheat grain cultivars. The forces endured by wheat grains during the milling process can be quantified, enabling us to measure the impact of commonly applied grain pretreatments, such as microwave heating, extended tempering, enzyme and hormone treatments on grains of different ‘hardness’. Using these methods, we demonstrate the importance of short tempering phases prior to milling and identify ways in which our methods can detect differences in the maximum force, energy and breaking behaviours of hard and soft grain types. We also demonstrate for the first time, endosperm weakening in wheat, through hormone stratification on single bran layers. The modern milling process is highly refined, meaning that small, cultivar specific, adjustments can result in large increases in downstream profits. We believe that methods such as these, which enable rapid testing of milling pretreatments and material properties can help to drive an innovation process that has been core to our industrial efforts since prehistory.
ISSN:1742-5689
1742-5662
DOI:10.1098/rsif.2016.0828