ARS | Publication request: Rheological and pasting properties of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) flours with and without jet-cooking

Submitted to: Cereal Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: February 26, 2008
Publication Date: January 2, 2009
Citation: Inglett, G.E., Xu, J., Stevenson, D.G., Chen, D. 2009. Rheological and Pasting Properties of Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) Flours With and Without Jet-cooking. Cereal Chemistry. 86(1):1-6.

Interpretive Summary: Buckwheat has potential to provide great benefit in human diets due to its high phenolic content and antioxidant capacity that can prevent cancers, and it is gluten-free enabling suitability for celiac disease sufferers. However, in order to exploit these nutritional benefits by incorporating buckwheat in foods, the properties of buckwheat flour during heat processing need to be explored. We found different refined grades of buckwheat flour to have different paste thickening and springiness, thereby imparting different textures to foods and a broader range of properties could be achieved by jet-cooking. Our study demonstrated that buckwheat has good potential to substitute or be blended with other cereal flours to create new food textures and provide health benefits to humans.

Technical Abstract: Pasting, rheological and water-holding properties of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) flour obtained from whole achenes separated into three particle sizes, and three commercial flours (Fancy, Supreme and Farinetta) were measured with or without jet-cooking. Fancy had instantaneous paste viscosity (measured using RVA) after jet-cooking, that was not observed for Supreme or Farinetta and paste viscosity was lower for latter two flours. Supreme jet-cooked flour exhibited higher peak viscosity than without jet-cooking, and paste exhibited high shear-thinning. Fancy exhibited strongest viscoelastic properties (measured using rheometer). Jet-cooking damaged buckwheat flour structure, thereby reducing viscoelasticity. Buckwheat flour pastes experienced shear-thinning over a wide range of shear rates. Jet-cooking greatly enhanced water-holding capacity. Buckwheat flour particle size did not greatly influence paste viscosity. Study showed buckwheat flours have unique pasting and rheological characteristics that have different food applications, which could especially be useful for people with celiac disease as buckwheat is gluten-free.