Fatima Abubakar^{1, 2}, Mamudu Halidu Badau^2,, Paul Yahaya Idakwo², Nahemiah Danbaba³

Grain physical characteristics of some Nigerian grown Rain fed wheat varieties along with proximate composition, flour extraction, wet and dry gluten, and baking quality of their flours were determined. Flours of the wheat cultivars were extracted with laboratory Brabender Quadrumat Senior mill and used for Bread baking by the straight dough method. Baking parameters and sensory evaluation using 9 point hedonic scale of bread baked from flours of the wheat cultivars were investigated. Data obtained from the study were statistically analyzed using Analysis of Variance ( ANOVA) and where differences existed, mean separated using Least Significant Difference (LSD) test, at a 5% level of probability (p<0.05). The results for physical characteristics showed that 1000-grain weight ranged from 27.80-38.10g. The grain length ranged from 5.57-6.32mm, the width ranged from 2.30-2. 56mm while the density of the entries ranged from 0.96-1. 36. Flour extraction rate of the wheat cultivars ranged generally from 68.8-79.3%. Wet and dry gluten contents ranged from 32.4-46.2% and 12.4-15.0% respectively. Moisture content differs significantly for all samples ranging between 8.4-13.3%. Crude protein, fat, fibre, ash and carbohydrate ranged from 13.9-16.9%, 1.3-1.9%, 0.3-0.9%, 0.4-0.8% and 70.1-73.6%, respectively. The bread characteristics evaluated for the Nigerian rain fed grown wheat showed good baking quality as the control except for loaf volume where the control had the highest volume. The result for sensory evaluation showed that all bread samples were rated good and accepted by panels. This shows that Nigerian grown wheat can perform well as the imported wheat in terms of bread quality.

physical characteristics, bread, baking, Nigerian wheat, Rain-fed wheat