Relationship Between Grain, Semolina, and Whole Wheat Flour Properties and the Physical and Cooking Qualities of Whole Wheat Spaghetti

Durum breeding programs need to identify rawmaterial traits capable of predicting whole wheat spaghetti quality. Nineteen durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) cultivars and 17 breeding lines were collected from 19 different environments in North Dakota and were evaluated for physical and cooking qualities of whole wheat spaghetti. Raw material traits evaluated included grain, semolina, and whole wheat flour characteristics. Similar to traditional spaghetti, grain protein content had a significant positive correlation with cooking quality of whole wheat spaghetti. Stepwise multiple regressions showed grain protein content, mixogram break time, and wet gluten were the predominant characteristics in predicting cooked firmness of whole wheat spaghetti.