Physicochemical properties of Australian wheat flours for white salted noodles

Flour properties of 37 Australian wheat samples were examined for their relationship to white salted noodle quality. Flour Rapid Visco Analyser pasting properties and flour swelling power were correlated to the smoothness and softness of cooked noodles. Although different Rapid Visco Analyser profiles could be used to enhance relationships with noodle parameters, the flour swelling power test appeared to be more useful assay for smoothness and softness. The addition of sodium chloride improved these relationships for both the Rapid Visco Analyser and swelling power tests. Viscosity properties were not changed proportionally with salt addition and there appeared to be an interaction with individual wheat varieties. Noodle elasticity and eating quality were closely correlated with Mixograph time to maximum bandwidth, flour protein content and thousand kernel weight. Addition of sodium chloride to Mixograph doughs appeared to be valuable for the study of white salted noodles. The results also indicated that dough rheological properties need to be considered for these noodles, in addition to the physical and chemical properties of starch. About two thirds of total noodle quality were accounted for by physicochemical properties including Rapid Visco Analyser final viscosity, Mixograph time to maximum bandwidth (both parameters measured with salt addition), thousand kernel weight and Minolta b* value examined in this study.