Samples are received and sorted in the receiving room.
Samples are then cleaned, weighed, and tempered
Here, some of the large-scale cleaners are seen: a clipper cleaner, which uses sieves to remove foreign matter from wheat, is on the right. A disk separator, which segregates wheat by size, is on the left in the foreground and a scourer, which removes dust from wheat, is in the left background. The wheat is transported from one machine to the next through the yellow pipes by high velocity air.
After the wheat has been cleaned and bottled, moisture analysis, protein analysis and grain hardness tests are conducted. The results of these tests are used to prepare the wheat for experimental milling.
The lab has four milling systems, each used for differing amounts of sample. A 5g micro mill is used at very early generations in a wheat breeding program when sample size is small.
A modified Quadrumat milling system is used for later generations when more flour (100 – 500g) is needed to conduct physical and chemical analyses.
At advanced generations (1.2 – 4kg) the Buhler mill, shown here is used to mill the wheat. This mill allows roll gaps to be set separately for each sample, providing a more optimized milling than that available with the micro or Quadrumat milling systems. Six ‘streams’ of flour can be seen being produced in this picture, three on the ‘break’ side, where the bran coat is stripped of endosperm, or flour and three on the ‘reduction’ side, where large flour particles are reduced in size to flour. This mill provides enough samples for not only physical and chemical evaluations, but also for baking tests.
For larger samples, the Miag Mill is used.
Physical and chemical tests are made in the flour analysis lab. Protein, moisture and ash content is measured here using a combination of actual ‘wet chemistry’ analysis and predictive tests. Near Infrared Reflectance analysis is used to estimate the moisture and protein content of wheat and flour, as well as its physical ‘hardness’.
Individual wheat kernels are assayed with the Single Kernel Wheat Characterization System developed by the USDA-ARS Grain Marketing Research Lab in Manhattan, KS. This instrument measures: individual kernel weight, moisture, hardness and size at the rate of 300 kernels in 3 minutes. These data are used to provide wheat breeders with the information needed to select promising breeding lines from those with poor end-use potential.
Flour is then sent to the baking lab for mixogram and baking tests. Depending on the type and variety of wheat, noodles, cookies, sponge cakes, and/or bread are baked and graded.
The mixogram machine is hard at work.
Research Lab — Our focus is on the genetic basis of wheat quality traits.
Research Lab — Students, Postdocs, and Visiting Scientists from around the world work to better understand wheat grain quality and utilization.
On the left is the -80ºC freezer for storage of all sensitive reagents, especially enzymes, sensitive cell lines or DNA. At this low temperature, all biological activity ceases and samples can be stored for a long time. On the right is the analytical HPLC system with a UV/visible light detector and an evaporative light scattering detector. This is used to separate and quantitate various biochemical components of wheat and assist in determining the end-use functional effect of the various protein, lipid and carbohydrate compounds.
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Click on a Photo Above for a Slideshow Tour of our Facility
