Effect of Hagberg Falling Number on Rye Bread Quality

Rye (Secale cereale L.) is one of the most important bread grains in colder parts of Europe and its importance has been rising recently. The chemical composition of rye grain promises health benefits and it contributes to higher intake of dietary fibre. Conversely, rye baking performance is not as good as required. The baking quality is mainly affected by the activity of amylases measured as Hagberg falling number. This parameter is influenced by milling and growing conditions and may differ from one year to another. The aim of our work was to quantify the relationship between different Hagberg falling number (FN) values and rye bread quality baked as a pan and bulk bread. Our results proved that increasing values of Hagberg falling number improved the final bread quality concerning the bread volume, bread weight and bread shape (height/width ratio). The highest improvement was regarded for bulk bread; the bread shape of FN 235 s was improved by 122% in comparison with the value of FN 65 s. It can be concluded, that both FN ≥150 and baking in a form positively affected all observed values. Key-Words: Flour, Pan Bread, Bulk Bread, Amylase Activity, Starch