Starch damage content is an important parameter in evaluating flour quality. When a grain sample is milled to produce flour, a proportion of the starch granules are mechanically damaged. Starch granules may be cracked, fractured or crushed by the action of the mill. The starch damage content of the flour has a considerable effect on the bread making process. On the positive side, damaged starch has a greater capacity to absorb water than native starch. It is also preferentially attacked by a- and |3-amylases, making more sugars available during the breadmaking process. On the negative side, too much starch damage may result in stickiness of the dough, undesirable colour of the baked product and other problems. (Dubat 2007, Simmonds 1989). For good quality flour, the starch damage should be optimised for dough handling and end product usage.
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