Collaborative Study Report: Automated Measurement of Wheat Flour Solvent Retention Capacity with the CHOPIN-SRC Instrument (AACCI Approved Method 56-15.01)

摘要

Solvent retention capacity (SRC) is an analytical method used to measure the contribution to water absorption of the main functional flour polymers (gluten protein, starch, and pentosans). Originally established to evaluate soft wheat flour functionality in the United States, the method is gaining acceptance worldwide and is now applied to many wheat types and disciplines in wheat variety development and flour processing across the globe. The first approved standardized method recognized in the industry was AACCI Approved Method 56-11.02. However, this manual method is extremely operator-dependent, due to the need for consistent agitation during the initial hydration phase and intermittent agitation thereafter. Differences in human execution can introduce variation in results, making it difficult for SRC parameters to be effectively integrated into flour specifications. Laboratories have mechanized different parts of the method in attempts to improve accuracy and precision; however, no formal standardized solution has been introduced in the industry. To address this situation, CHOPIN Technologies developed an automated system, based on the concepts of the AACCI standard method, with the aim of eliminating all potential operator impacts on the test and standardizing tubes and centrifugation conditions. This method has been evaluated through a collaborative study involving 12 laboratories that analyzed 12 flour samples in duplicate with 4 solvents (water, sucrose, sodium carbonate, and lactic acid).