Durum Wheat Bread: Old Sicilian Varieties and Improved Ones

Abstract

In Mediterranean countries and particularly in southern Italy, durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) is traditionally used for bread production. Market globalization has involved, also in these regions, the diffusion of bread made with soft wheat flour (Triticum aestivum L.) standardizing this product and flattening taste consumers. Dealing with the problems of genetic resources erosion, among its main aims Stazione Consorziale Sperimentale di Granicoltura per la Sicilia has to maintain and increase the value of old Sicilian durum wheat landraces. With the aim of comparing the bread made with the old Sicilian local varieties and the one made with the improved cultivars, some landraces, chosen from the genebank of the Institute, have been multiplied on farmers' fields to have enough material for making bread. Before milling in pilot plant, the grain of the different wheats was characterized for its merceological indexes. The semolina obtained was analyzed for its colour and content in ashes, proteins and gluten. Rheological tests were conducted on dough and, finally, using standardized methods, one-variety breads were produced. On the bread slices, computerized image analysis was performed to measure colour and morphological parameters of crumb and crust. Sensory analysis, achieved through a descriptive profiling test, was conducted with trained judges using touch, fragrance and taste attributes for the different bread types. The data obtained highlighted that bread prepared by old varieties semolina was significantly different from bread made by the improved varieties one, for morphological and sensorial features. This behaviour depended on the different merceological, chemical and rheological properties of raw material, grain and semolina.