Incorporating flavor into a wheat breeding program

Abstract

Wheat is a major cash crop in Oklahoma, accounting for nearly 2.6 million harvested acres in 2020. Many farmers rely on wheat varieties developed at Oklahoma State University (OSU), as these varieties have proven capable of producing robust yields despite Oklahoma’s unique climatic characteristics and disease pressures. Flavor is not a formal consideration in the breeding program; this is perhaps unfortunate, as milling entrepreneurs are developing a local market for flour produced from specific OSU varieties. Thus, the objective of this research is to assess the ability to document variety-specific flavors in bread by having food professionals sample breads made from different wheat varieties. First, a qualitative study is conducted to identify the range of flavor attributes bread made from different wheat varieties can possess. Then a quantitative analysis is performed to measure the extent to which similar flavors are manifested in the same wheat variety grown in different Oklahoma regions. Both analyses use professionals in the food industry as sensory analysts.

The first study compares nine different OSU and three different heirloom wheat varieties. Fourteen food professionals sampled the breads, describing flavor characteristics and likeability. A Napping-Ultra Flash Profile exercise is also performed, providing data for measuring differences in flavor, allowing millers to identify which varieties can be blended while still preserving a common flavor profile. The OSU varieties provided a distinct and largely superior eating experience compared to the heirlooms, suggesting recent genetic changes to promote disease resistance, yield increases, and baking quality have not sacrificed flavor. The results of this exploratory analysis are then used to identify a more quantitative instrument for analyzing flavor differences in wheat varieties by food professionals.

If Oklahoma is to associate specific wheat varieties with specific flavors it is important those flavors be present in bread regardless of where in Oklahoma it is grown. The second study asks a similar sample of food professionals to sample breads made from five different OSU varieties and two different regions. By sampling the same variety grown in both the northern and southern region, and using a more quantitative instrument, it is possible to measure the extent to which the same flavor emerges regardless of the region. Twelve food professionals rated the intensity of nine flavor attributes, selected the presence of other attributes from a word bank, and completed a napping ultra-flash profile exercise. Overall, the same wheat variety can impart considerably different flavors when grown in different regions of Oklahoma, suggesting it is difficult to associate a wheat variety with a specific flavor profile without knowing where in Oklahoma it is grown.