Comparison of wholegrain baking performance and agronomic traits of coloured wheat cultivars in Central Europe

A first-time comparative analysis was conducted of the agronomy, chemical composition, dough functionality and baking performance of white, purple and red wholegrain wheats cultivated in Central Europe. White and red wholegrain flours showed a comparable chemical composition, only differing in a 14-fold higher α-amylase activity in white wheats. In contrast, purple wheat exhibited a significantly higher anthocyanin (5.68 and 0.63 mg C3G/100g in purple and red flour) and 7 % higher mineral content compared to white and red wheat. The dough functionality was assessed, including Farinograph, rheology, extensibility, and gas-holding capacity tests. These tests revealed that white wholegrain wheat compared to red wholegrain wheat flours exhibited a lower water absorption and dough stability, as well as a higher starch pasting temperature, suggesting a weaker dough network of white wholegrain flours. Small- and standard-sized baking trials were conducted, which nonetheless demonstrated similar baking performance for all wheat colours. Only the crumb texture profile analysis reflected the results of the dough functionality tests. White wholegrain wheat breads exhibited a softer and stickier crumb compared to the purple and red breads. These findings suggest that white and purple wholegrain wheat cultivars have considerable potential for use in the production of high-quality baked goods. • Coloured wheats show similar agronomic traits • Purple wholegrain flours and breads contain more anthocyanins than red cultivars • White and purple wheats showed comparable specific bread volume to red wheats • White wheats have 14 times more amylase activity than red wheats • White wholegrain wheat flours absorb 7 % less water than red wheat flours