Odor Determination in Wheat Grain: Quality and Freshness Assessment

Odor Determination in Wheat Grain

Types and Uses of Wheat

Wheat (Triticum spp.) is considered a staple food source that plays a major role in human nutrition. There are two main types of wheat, Triticum aestivum (bread wheat) and Triticum durum (durum wheat). It is rich in carbohydrates, protein, fiber, vitamins (especially B vitamins) and minerals (iron, magnesium, zinc). It is used in the production of many food products such as flour, bread, pasta, biscuits, cakes, animal feed and industrial areas. When evaluating wheat quality, it is related to taste, texture and odor as well as health and nutritional value.

Odor Types that may occur in Wheat

Wheat has a distinctive odor. It should not have a different and bad odor. Odors in wheat are divided into three:

• Normal Grain Odor: Fresh wheat odor, Barn odor
• Rotten Grain Odor: Dampness, mold, mold, smearing odors
• Foreign Odors: Odors such as grass, gas, anise, onion, garlic

The main components affecting the odor of wheat are aldehydes such as pentanal, hexanal, nonanal and other volatile organic compounds. The conditions under which wheat is stored (humidity, temperature, etc.) can affect odor determination, so it is important to keep storage conditions under control.

Why Determination of Odor in Wheat Grain?

Odor determination of wheat grain is an important parameter for determining the quality and suitability of storage conditions. Deterioration, mold, oxidation and other quality problems occurring in wheat can be determined by odor determination. Odors detected in wheat grains can also lead to physical and microbiological tests on the product. Thus, the storage conditions of the product can be interpreted.

What are the Methods Used in Wheat Odor Determination?

• Sensory Analysis: It is a method in which human panelists evaluate wheat samples by smelling them. Panelists identify the odor of wheat and provide information about quality.
• Electronic Nose (E-Nose): A device that detects the volatile components of wheat samples using gas sensors. The electronic nose analyzes the smell of wheat with different gas sensors and digitally records the results.
• Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS): A laboratory method used to separate and identify the volatile components of wheat. GC-MS detects the components that make up the odor of wheat and performs quantitative analysis.

How to Determine Odor in Wheat (Sensory Analysis)?

Determination of odor in wheat can be done by taking a handful of wheat, giving a strong breath to the wheat in the palm of the hand and smelling it and determining the smell felt or by boiling the wheat crush after diluting it 1/10 and smelling the steam coming out.

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