Effects of wheat maturation stage and cooking method on physical and chemical properties of firiks

In this study, samples of two durum wheat cultivars at different maturation stages (13, 16, 19, 22, 25 days post anthesis) were processed into firik u sing two different cooking processes: roasting (scorching) on flames and bo iling at atmospheric pressure. In both cultivars hectolitre weights and 100 0 kernel weights of the firiks produced by boiling and roasting increased s teadily and significantly (p < 0.05) with maturation. The percent of small kernels decreased and the percent of large kernels increased uniformly in t he firiks produced by boiling and roasting from both cultivars during ripen ing. The ash contents of the firiks of both cultivars decreased significant ly (p < 0.05) with maturation. Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn Na, K and Mg contents of the firiks of both cultivars produced by both methods showed a downward trend w ithin the period of maturation. However, Ca contents of the firiks, first s howed a significant (p < 0.05) upward trend and then a downward trend durin g maturation. Significant (p < 0.05) reductions in thiamin and riboflavin c ontents occurred in both cooking methods and both cultivars with maturation . The first two stages of kernel development (13 and 16 days after anthesis ) resulted in the highest sensory scores, for the firiks produced by both m ethods. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.