On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 890

Wheat Pigments Most wheat varieties have a reddish-brown bran layer that owes its color to various phenolic compounds and to browning enzymes (p 269) that assemble them into large colored aggregates Less common are white wheats, whose bran layer is cream-colored due to a much lower content of phenolic compounds and browning enzymes White wheats have a less astringent taste and discolor less when some of the bran is included in the flour; they’re used to replace ordinary wheats when an especially mild flavor or light color is desired The color of durum wheat, its coarse semolina flour, and dry pasta is due mainly to the carotenoid xanthophyll lutein, which can be oxidized to a colorless form by enzymes in the grain and oxygen This maturation has traditionally been desired in wheats (remember that the name comes from an ancient root meaning “white”), but is not in durum Some of the minor wheats are also rich in carotenoid pigments Protein Content and Quality of Different Wheat Varieties Gluten quality determines the suitability of a given wheat for particular dishes Both bread and pasta benefit from a strong, cohesive gluten Elasticity improves the gas-trapping ability and lightness of bread doughs, but interferes with the rolling of pasta dough into thin sheets Wheat Protein Content, % Gluten Variety grain weight Quality Bread 10–15 Strong and elastic Durum 15 Strong, not very elastic Einkorn 16 Weak, sticky Emmer Moderately strong, not very 17 (farro) elastic Spelt, Moderately strong, not very 16 ...rich in carotenoid pigments Protein Content and Quality of Different Wheat Varieties Gluten quality determines the suitability of a given wheat for particular dishes Both bread and pasta benefit from a strong, cohesive... cohesive gluten Elasticity improves the gas-trapping ability and lightness of bread doughs, but interferes with the rolling of pasta dough into thin sheets Wheat Protein Content, % Gluten Variety grain weight... Quality Bread 10–15 Strong and elastic Durum 15 Strong, not very elastic Einkorn 16 Weak, sticky Emmer Moderately strong, not very 17 (farro) elastic Spelt, Moderately strong, not very 16