Human utilization of triticale: technological and nutritional aspects

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Food Science
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Triticale acreage is increasing, but its use in human food remains uncertain.
• Both parental species, wheat and rye, are established food sources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the technological and nutritional values of triticale with its parental species, wheat and rye.
• To assess the potential of triticale for human food utilization.

Main Methods:

• Tested triticale cultivars and experimental lines alongside wheat and rye varieties.
• Evaluated grain and flour technological properties, including kernel diameter, test weight, flour yield, gluten content, Zeleny volume, thousand kernel weight (TKW), and grain hardness.
• Analyzed nutritional content, focusing on mineral elements (Ca, Mg, P, Cu, Zn), dietary fiber (DF), and total arabinoxylan (TOTAX).

Main Results:

• Triticale's technological properties generally fell between those of wheat and rye, with some exceptions in TKW and grain hardness.
• Triticale grains are rich in essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and zinc.
• Dietary fiber content ranged from 10-15%, and total arabinoxylan content was closer to rye (6-7%).

Conclusions:

• Triticale possesses valuable nutritional and technological attributes, positioning it as a promising crop for human consumption.
• The direct use of triticale flour in baking may be limited; however, blends incorporating triticale could be a viable strategy for wider food industry application.
• Further research into blending triticale with other flours could unlock its potential for diverse food products.