THE POSSIBILITIES OF IMPROVEMENT OF FLOUR QUALITY FROM WHEAT-VARIETIES OF THE CZECH ASSORTMENT BY THE EFFECT OF LECITHIN AND SOYBEAN PROTEIN

Within the co-operation of the Division of Plant Products at the Resea rch Institute for Crop Production, Praha-Ruzyne, with the Lucas Meyer Company, Hamburg, flours of selected wheat varieties of the Czech asso rtment (one spring and six winter varieties) were tested for changes i n baking and technological properties as affected by improving prepara tions Emulthin M-501 and Soyapan. These preparations were tested for t he first time in the Czech Republic. This was connected to the studies carried out in the previous years on renowned research workplaces of Europe and the U.S.A. The use of improving agents led to an increase i n the volume of all evaluated samples. The highest relative increase i n the volume of bread (by 23 %) was found out in the spring wheat, the Jara variety with a very low baking quality. The effect of improving agents was least manifested in an increase of the bread volume in the Butin variety, though significant improvement was recorded in dough an d bread properties. The application of improving agents was manifested in the best Hana variety, as expected, by a slight improvement. Very good properties of the latter variety, together with improving agents, were fully manifested in an experimental variant with prolonged time of leavening when the increase in specific volume of bread was signifi cant. Based on the results of test and with the knowledge of important parameters of milling quality of evaluated varieties, it can be said that the use of improving agents brings on the increase in the bread v olume and quality but has almost no effect on a water-absorptive capac ity of flours and the dough yield. This applies particularly to variet ies of low technological value. It follows from it that the varietal c omposition and wheat properties, supplied for processing into mills an d baking plants, should be considered from now on. The use of improvin g agents to increase the quality of parts composed of unsuitable wheat varieties seems to be irrational.