Quality characteristics and processability evaluation methods of Hokkaido wheat

Hokkaido is the leading wheat-producing region in Japan, and efficient quality evaluation is essential for developing high-performance cultivars. This review summarizes wheat production in Hokkaido and recent advances in instrumental quality assessment methods for processing suitability as a complement or replacement for sensory evaluation, which is labor-intensive and unsuitable for large breeding populations. For Chinese noodles, a small-scale method using 50 g of flour enabled reliable texture measurements using breaking force and breaking energy, both of which showed strong correlation with sensory evaluation. Additionally, noodle color and discoloration tendencies could be effectively assessed using spectrophotometry. For sponge cake, key sensory attributes related to “melt-in-the-mouth” (crumb hardness, elasticity, and bolus flowability) were translated into instrumental parameters using compression tests with a texture analyzer, which aligned well with expert evaluations. These methods provide practical tools that enhance the efficiency of wheat breeding and support the development of high-quality wheat products in Hokkaido.