Image Analysis of Bread Crumb Structure in Relation to Gluten Strength of Wheat

The objective of this study was to determine bread slice medium part properties in relation to quality parameters with a focus on gluten strength. Since sensory evaluation of bread is time consuming, expensive and subjective in nature, computerized image analysis was applied as objective method of bread crumb quality evaluation. Gluten Index method was applied as fast and reliable tool for defining gluten strength of wheat. Significant (P<0.05) positive correlation was noticed between bread slice medium part properties and Gluten Index and bread appearance (h/d), while wet gluten content have shown negative influence on these properties. The cultivars with over strong gluten (GI>90) Ana, Demetra, Klara, Srpanjka and Divana have shown trend to give unequal and bigger crumb grains while cultivars Golubica, Barbara, Žitarka, Kata and Sana with optimal gluten strength (GI= 60-90) have shown finer and uniform crumb grain.