Analysis of wheat flour proteins related to grain hardness using capillaryelectrophoresis

A simple and fast capillary electrophoresis method was used for the analysi s of wheat flour proteins related to grain hardness. The study has shown th at the ratio of the peak areas of two proteins, puroindolines a acid b, can be used to distinguish hard and soft varieties of breadwheat. In addition, the results indicate that hard breadwheats can be further separated into t wo different sub-types. This novel finding suggests that hard breadwheat ma y have evolved from the original soft breadwheat by two different routes. T he method has the potential to provide a new diagnostic tool for wheat bree ders and the milling industry. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights re served.