Brabender FarinoGraph | Influence of Mixer Size and Water Addition Method on FarinoGraph Measurement Values of Various Wheat Flours

Determining dough properties with the FarinoGraph is an established method for characterizing wheat flours. Key values such as water absorption, dough development time, consistency, stability, and dough softening provide important information about the processing behavior and quality of a flour. Reliable and reproducible determination of these parameters is particularly important in quality control and product development.
In addition to the standard 300-g mixer, smaller mixer systems are becoming increasingly important because they allow measurements to be performed with reduced material quantities. This is particularly advantageous when only limited sample quantities are available, for research approaches, or for screening investigations. At the same time, mixer size, water addition method, and dosing speed can influence flour hydration and the formation of the dough structure.
The aim of this investigation was to systematically evaluate the influence of different mixing chamber volumes and water addition methods on FarinoGraph measurement values.

Three wheat flours with different stability levels were investigated:

• Flour with high stability, HS
• Flour with medium stability, MS
• Flour with low stability, LS

The stability of flours describes the behavior of a dough during kneading. It indicates how long a dough can maintain its structure under mechanical stress. High stability means that the dough can be kneaded for a long time without losing its elasticity and firmness. Low stability indicates that the dough softens or collapses more quickly. Stability mainly depends on the quality and quantity of gluten protein. Wheat flours with strong gluten in particular form a stable dough network. Determining stability is important for assessing the baking properties of flour.

The following FarinoGraph parameters were evaluated:

• Dough development time (DDT) [min]
• Consistency [BU]
• Stability [min]
• Dough softening according to ICC / 12 min after maximum [BU]