294 Application of near infra-red transmission analyzer for segregation of wheat based on protein content.

H.-Y. KOH, Z. Czuchajowska, and B.-K. Baik. Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6376.

Segregation of wheat based on protein content has significant importance for value and quality of wheat for production of specific food products. Hard white spring wheat cv. IDO377S was utilized to: 1) set up guidelines for segregation of wheat based on protein content; 2) test the reliability of calibrations for a near infra-red transmission (NIT) analyzer for estimation of protein and moisture content of wheat; and 3) determine the influence of dockage on accuracy of estimated protein and moisture content of wheat. Preliminary wheat samples were collected from seven representative locations before harvest to determine distribution of protein content and to assign to the storage bins a specific range of protein content. Protein content of preharvest samples ranged from 11.0% to 16.3%. Based on protein content of preharvest samples, three storage bins were assigned to <13.8%, 13.8% to 14.8% and >14.8%, respectively. During the harvest, wheat from 183 truck loads was segregated into each bin based on protein content estimated using NIT. Protein and moisture content of the 183 uncleaned samples ranged from 12.5% to 16.5% and from 7.4% to 9.7%, respectively, with 0.31 of standard error of prediction for both protein and moisture content compared to chemical analysis; standard error of prediction for cleaned samples was 0.19 for moisture content and 0.24 for protein content. The protein content of segregated wheat in three bins were within the range of assigned protein content.