Buckwheat is one of expensive cereals compared to wheat in Korea. This study is to develop the method discriminating the mixed ratio of wheat flour on buckwheat products being sold commercially. Pure buckwheat and wheat flours were proportionally mixe...
Buckwheat is one of expensive cereals compared to wheat in Korea. This study is to develop the method discriminating the mixed ratio of wheat flour on buckwheat products being sold commercially. Pure buckwheat and wheat flours were proportionally mixed, and the mixed flours (designated as MFS) were analyzed. The results were evaluated for parameters to know a possible mixed degree for buckwheat products(Mak-kuksoo, buckwheat flours and noodles) purchased in markets.
The contents of crude ash was proportional to the mixed ratio of MFS, and, thus, this parameter was considered as a discriminating method, except for the products containing hull powder of buckwheat. The contents of magnesium and potassium together with that of crude ash as a parameters improved efficiently the determination ability of mixed ratio flours in the products.
The contents of arginine and praline in amino acid compositions changed, but in the reverse pattern each, in proportion to the mixed ratio of flours. Nevertheless, the amino acid composition seems to be not a desirable index in discrimination, since the determination of amino acid composition is relatively time-consuming and tedious, and further needs an expensive instruments.
Rutin is one of flavonoids existing in buckwheat but not in wheat flours. But, it should be considered that rutin content depends largely on the cultivars, planting area, climate or collecting times of the products. In this sense, rutin content itself may be not a reliable parameter to evaluate the mixed ratio of the products, especially of Mak-kuksoo in which a considerable amounts of rutin from noodles are extracted to the boiling water on cooking.
It is known that water-soluble proteins of buckwheat flour are about five times more than those of wheat flours. When water-soluble proteins from the MFS were determined using Lowry method, there was a positive relationship between proteins and buckwheat contents of MFS. But, it needs a determination of water-soluble proteins on cooking water to compensate the loss of proteins to cooking water in case of Mak-kuksoo.
In conclusion, our results recommend the determination of the contents of the magnesium and potassium, and that of water soluble proteins by Lowry method, as a simple, reliable and recommend parameters to elucidate a possible mixed ratio of buckwheat and wheat in buckwheat products.