Cereal properties

B.K.K.K.Jinadasa

(GS/M.Sc./FOOD/3608/08)

14th Nov. 2009

2009/10
 Cereal Properties 2

Cereal properties

Introduction
Starch is found in almost every typical meal from the Northern Hemisphere. Generally this is
used in the preparation of breads, cakes, biscuits etc. Other famous serials as foods are rice, corn,
Kurakkan and sorghum.

Starch is a polysaccharide (meaning "many sugars") made up of glucose units linked together to
form long chains. The number of glucose molecules joined in a single starch molecule varies
from five hundred to several hundred thousand, depending on the type of starch. Starch is the
storage form of energy for plants, just as glycogen is the storage form of energy for animals. The
plant directs the starch molecules to the amyloplasts, where they are deposited to form granules.
Thus, both in plants and in the extracted concentrate, starch exists as granules varying in
diameter from 2 to 130 microns. The size and shape of the granule is characteristic of the plant
from which it came and serves as a way of identifying the source of a particular starch.

The structure of the granule of grain is crystalline with the starch molecules orienting in such a
way as to form radially oriented crystals. This crystalline arrangement is what gives rise to the
phenomenon of birefringence. When a beam of polarized light is directed through a starch
granule, the granule is divided by dark lines into four wedge-shaped sections. This cross-
hatching or cross is characteristic of spherocrystalline structures.

There are two types of starch molecules amylose and amylopectin. Amylose averages 20 to 30
percent of the total amount of starch in most native starches. There are some starches, such as
waxy cornstarch, which contain only amylopectin. Others may only contain amylose. Glucose
residues united by a 1,4 linkage form the linear chain molecule of amylose. Amylose is the linear
fraction and amylopectin is the branched fraction. Amylose molecules contribute to gel
formation. This is because the linear chains can orient parallel to each other, moving close
enough together to bond. Probably due to the ease with which they can slip past each other in the
cooked paste, they do not contribute significantly to viscosity. The branched amylopectin
molecules give viscosity to the cooked paste. This is partially due to the role it serves in
maintaining the swollen granule. Their side chains and bulky shape keep them from orienting
closely enough to bond together, so they do not usually contribute to gel formation. Different
plants have different relative amounts of amylose and amylopectin. These different proportions
of the two types of starch within the starch grains of the plant give each starch its characteristic
properties in cooking and gel formation.

Gluten is the protein in wheat, plays the main role in the bakery industry. At the mixing with
water gliadins and glutanine interact and give the Gluten, which has cohesive – elastic properties.
Further, gluten that is formed inside the dough trap the CO2 formed by yeast and expand the
dough. This is the most significant property of wheat flour when compared with other cereal
flours. When boil, starch granules absorb water which results in the swelling of granule and burst
in to a gel. This is called gelatinization.

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5.1. Examination of flour/starch

5.1.1. Materials
Plastic Containers
100 ml beakers
Flour (wheat, rice and corn)
Binocular microscope and stereo microscope
Slides and cover slips
Iodine solution
Weighing scale

5.1.2. Method
Given flour samples were examined for their appearance visually and textural aspects by holding
samples in the palm and in between fingers.
1g of each sample was mixed with water and examined their characters. Then a drop from each
sample was put on to slides and made thin smears. Smears were covered with cover slips and
observed under the microscope.
Then the smears were prepared by adding one drop of iodine solution on to the sample drop.
Slides were observed under the microscope.
1g of from each sample was taken into beakers and 10 ml of distilled water was added into each
beaker. Beakers with samples were heated to boil with shaking vigorously. Changes were
observed both visually and under the microscope. Drop of iodine was added to each sample and
re-examined under the microscope.
Drop of methylene blue was added to each heated and unheated samples and re-examined under
the microscope.

5.1.3. Results
Character Wheat Flour Corn Flour Rice Flour

Texture Smooth Powder Smooth Powder Rough Powder

Color Off White White Off White

When mixed with water

Color Off White White color paste Off white

Suspension like suspension
Texture Stickiness is high sticky Liquid

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Microscopic Wheat Corn Rice

appearance (10 x 40)
Microscopic Purple color Purple color Dark Purple color
Appearance after granules granules granules
adding Iodine

Microscopic Background blue Background blue Background blue

Appearance after
adding Methylene
Blue

Boiling with water Become clear after Corn flour solution Rice solution
the corn flour became clear first became clear last.

Microscopic Some granules Blue color swollen Blue Color. Burst

appearance after blue, some and burst granules granules with light
adding Iodine (after granules white with light blue back blue back ground.
boiling) with light blue ground
back ground

5.1.4. Discussion
Generally starches are identified by their microscopic features. To see starch granules clearly
iodine was added. During the structure studies, it was identified that granule shape changes
according to flour type, wheat granules were the biggest and rice were the smallest among these
three flour types and also the gelatinization time and temperature also changed with the flour
type.

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5.2. Separation of wet gluten

5.2.1. Materials
100ml beaker
Measuring cylinder
Piece of cheese cloth
Spatula
Petri dish
Oven

Sample flours
Water
Sodium meta bisulphite
Iodine solution

5.2.2. Method

25g of wheat flour was weighed into a plastic container.15 ml of water was added into the plastic
container containing flour and made a dough. Then the dough was kept in a beaker filled with
water and let it stand for one hour. After one hour dough was taken out and place in the cheese
cloth and washed with a gentle stream of tap water till water passed through the silk didn’t turn
blue when a drop of iodine solution was added. The residue was transferred by using a spatula to
previously weighed dish and allowed it to dry in the oven.
Same procedure was done to other two samples.
Wet gluten (before drying) was stretched by hands and measured the length.
Then a small amount of sodium meta bisulphite and coconut oil were added to the dough
separately and again stretched. Length was measured.

5.2.3. Results

Weight (g) Wheat flour

Weight of flour 25 g.
Weight of Dish 44.5694
Weight of Dish+ Wet Gluten 52.0227
Wight of dish + dry gluten 48.1084
% of gluten 3.539 x 100
25
14.16%

Strechability In Cm Remarks
Gluten 14 Cm
Gluten + SMS 9 Cm Became soft

5.2.4. Discussion

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Glutanine and gliding present in wheat flour interact and form a sticky and elastic material which
is gluten when mixed with water. After washing away starch gluten can be separated. Rice flour
doesn’t contain a detectable amount of gluten.
The characters of gluten could be altered by the addition of various chemicals. When sodium
meta bisulphiteis added the sulphide bonds of the gluten structure break and weaken the gluten
structure.

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5.3. Gelatinization of starch

5.3.1. Materials
Beaker
Measuring cylinders
Thermometer
Slides and cover slips
Microscope
Water bath

Flour samples
Iodine solution

5.3.2. Method

1g of flour was taken in a beaker and 20ml of water was added to it. Then the beaker was heated
gradually with a thermometer immersed in it. A drop of starch suspension was taken out at every
5 °C rise in temperature. Each drop was placed on slides and made smears. Smears were stained
using iodine solution and observed under the microscope. Number of granules which have taken
up the stain and total number of granules were counted. Experiment was done up to 100°C. a
graph was plotted for temperature versus number of grains that had taken up the stain and
ruptured.

Separate suspensions of 10% flour slurries were taken in beakers and heated to different
temperatures. (40°C, 50°C, 60°C, 70°C ) and transferred them into separate measuring cylinders.
They were allowed to stand overnight and volumes were measured. A graph was plotted with
temperature and the volume of gel.

5.3.3. Results
Slide No. Temperature No. of stained granules
1 Room Temperature 300
2. 35 293
3 40 168
4 45 136
5 50 112
6 60 92
7 65 52
8 70 44
9 75 40
10 80 40
11 85 40
12 90 5
13 95 5
14 100 5

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Discussion
Gelatinization of starch

100
90
80
70
No of cells

60
50 Series1
40
30
20
10
0
30 35 40 45 50 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100
Temperature

When starch suspension is heated, water was absorbed by the starch granule and caused the
swelling and bursting of the granules. Increasing of viscosity took place as a result of above
process.

5.2.4. Discussion

Starch gelatinization is a process that breaks down the intermolecular bonds of starch molecules
in the presence of water and heat, allowing the hydrogen bonding sites (the hydroxyl hydrogen
and oxygen) to engage more water. Penetration of water increases randomness in the general
structure and decreases the number and size of crystalline regions. Crystalline regions do not
allow water entry. Heat causes such regions to be diffused, so that the chains begin to separate
into an amorphous form. This process is used in cooking to make roux sauce, pastry, custard or
popcorn.

Gelatinization is also known as the thickening of a liquid. The starch grains/flour granules absorb
the liquid. When heated the grains/granules swell and then burst, releasing starch into the liquid.
The granules/grains swell to 5 times their original size

References
· Potter N.N, (1987). Food science, 3rd Ed, pp.589 – 599. AVI publishing Company, Inc.,
USA
· Fennema, Owen. R., 1996.Food chemistry, 3rd Ed, Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York
· Perarson.D. Laboratery techniques in food analysis,

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London; Butterworth publishers,1973