Abstract:

Six wheat varieties and lines were used to analyze the relationships between solvent retention capacity (SRC) of
wheat flour and mechanical properties of dried noodles. Meanwhile, the texture quality and cooking characteristics of dried
noodles were tested using a texture analyzer. Results indicated that lactic acid SRC was correlated positively with elasticity
modulus, fracture displacement, fracture stress, hardness and chewiness (r = 0.84–0.92), respectively, while it was correlated
negatively with cooking loss (r = −0.99). Sucrose SRC was significantly correlated with fracture stress (r = 0.84), chewiness
(r = 0.82) and cooking loss (r = −0.83), respectively. Sodium bicarbonate SRC was correlated significantly with cohesiveness
(r = −0.87), springiness (r = −0.85) and water absorption rate of cooked noodles (r = 0.98), respectively. Water SRC was not
correlated significantly with the qualities of noodles. The SRC test could be used as an alternative to the traditional tests of
protein content, wet gluten content, sodium dodecyl sulfate, sodium salt sedimentation value and damaged starch content for
the prediction of mechanical properties of dried noodles.

Key words: flour, solvent retention capacity, dried noodles, mechanical properties