337 Effect of blending extra strong gluten durum wheat varieties on cooking quality of spaghetti dried at different temperatures.

L. M. SCHLICHTING (1), B. A. Marchylo (1), J. E. Dexter (1), and J. M. Clarke (2). (1) Canadian Grain Commission, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; (2) Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Gluten strength is an important durum wheat quality characteristic because strong gluten varieties exhibit less sticky dough with better extrusion properties and superior cooked spaghetti textural characteristics. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of blending semolina milled from wheat varieties with varying gluten strength characteristics in various proportions with a low protein semolina with weak gluten characteristics. A number of durum varieties were used in blends ranging from 15 to 75% along with the low protein, weak base semolina. Physical dough properties of the blends were determined by alveograph and mixograph analysis. Spaghetti was processed from the blends and dried at temperatures of (40, 70, 90 and 95 C). Cooked spaghetti texture was determined at optimum and 10 minutes overcooking. Preliminary results indicate that the addition of protein improved cooking quality regardless of source. Blending with extra strong gluten types, however, resulted in added improvement in mixing and textural characteristics.