Effect of milling methods on acrylamide levels in chapatti and poori

This study evaluated the effects of various milling techniques on the damaged starch, particle size, and amino acid content of whole wheat flour (Atta), focusing on their impact on acrylamide (AA) formation in chapatti and poori. Wheat was processed using roller mills (RM), hammer mills (HM), plate mills (PM), and chakki mills (CM). Significant differences in the physicochemical properties of the Attas were observed across the milling methods. Damaged starch (DS) levels varied significantly, with PM and CM Atta showing higher levels (15.83 % and 17.27 %, respectively) compared to RM (8.64 %) and HM (9.81 %). Principal component analysis (PCA) of the physicochemical properties of the differently milled atta revealed variability, with PC1 accounting for 69.3 % and PC2 for 23.5 %. However, significant variations in amino acid content were observed in all atta. These physicochemical properties influenced products' moisture content, texture, and sensory qualities. AA content in chapatti was measured at 113.81, 126.66, 141.93, and 178.44 μg/kg, while poori exhibited levels of 141.27, 146.59, 170.70, and 171.77 μg/kg for RM, HM, PM, and CM Attas, respectively. These significant (p < 0.05) differences are attributed to variations in particle size (PS), DS content, and reducing sugar (RS) levels among the flours. This study highlights that optimizing milling methods can help reduce AA formation while preserving the final products' nutritional, physical, and sensory qualities. Implementing milling interventions offers a promising strategy for producing safer, high-quality baked and fried goods.