The Relationship Between Chinese Raw Dumpling Quality and Flour Characteristics of Shandong Winter Wheat Cultivars

Abstract

Dumpling is one of the most important traditional wheat products in China. Dumpling quality is determined by the characteristics of both flour and filling, thus improvement of flour quality plays an important role in improving dumpling quality. Thirty-nine Shandong winter wheat cultivars and advanced lines sown in Jinan, Shandong Province, China, in the 2008–2009 cropping season were used to determine genetic variation in Chinese raw dumpling quality and its relationship with flour characteristics. Large variations were observed for protein quality parameters in comparison with starch properties. Variation in color of the raw dumpling sheet was broader than that of sensory evaluation parameters of boiled dumpling among tested wheat cultivars, indicating the large influence of filling on dumpling color. Two cultivars, Jimai 20 and Zimai 12, were identified as possessing very good quality of raw dumpling, and 21 cultivars and advanced lines showed good quality. Protein and total starch content influenced the L^* value of raw dumpling sheets. L^* value at 0 and 2 h after sheeting were significantly influenced by protein content (r=−0.46 and −0.52, P<0.01) and total starch content (r=0.55 and 0.57, P<0.01), respectively. Flour yellow pigment was significantly corrected with a^* (r=−0.67 and −0.62, P<0.01) and b^* (r=0.87 and 0.84, P<0.01) value of raw dumpling sheets at 0 and 2 h after sheeting, respectively. Gluten strength parameters such as farinograph mixing tolerance index (MTI, r=−0.55, P<0.01) were positively associated with appearance. MTI and energy were also significantly and positively correlated with elasticity of raw dumpling, with r=−0.54 and 0.47 (P<0.01). The positive relationships between peak viscosity (r=0.51, P<0.01), breakdown (r=0.54, P<0.01), and smoothness of raw dumpling were also observed. Therefore, it is suggested that breeding programs should give more attention to gluten strength and starch pasting parameters for raw dumpling quality improvement.