Evaluation of quality parameters in some types of wheat flour used for different purposes

Abstract

Wheat flour is generally produced by milling wheat until a fine powder is produced. The flour is used for different purposes, generally for the preparation of baked products. This study aims to analyze and evaluate the quality of the flour that is traded on the market in Albania, such as T00, T0, all-purpose, whole grain, etc. produced in Albania or abroad. A total of 20 flour samples were purchased from the market and the technical properties such as water absorption, stability, sedimentation, dough energy and some physical and chemical properties such as moisture, total ash, acidity, protein and gluten were evaluated. Analyses were conducted according to AACC standards. The results show that all samples have almost the same parameters as described on the labels. Protein content ranged from 9.6 to 16.6%, with the highest percentage found in sample IFW0. Water absorption ranged from 58.5 to 65%, with sample AFA1 having the highest value. Acidity is the most commonly used parameter to determine storage conditions, and all samples had a low value. It ranged from 0.65 to 0.8%, with the highest value found in whole wheat flour. The gluten content varied from 18 to 35.7%, with the highest value detected in sample IFW0. According to the analysis of the samples, the wheat flour sold in the Albanian market has good parameters regarding the amount of protein, gluten, water absorption etc. They are different for different types of flours and we recommend consumers to read the label carefully before buying.