Quality control in the milling industry using near infrared transmittance spectroscopy

Flour quality control needs quick analytical tools for predicting rheological and chemical properties. In routine flour quality, wet chemistry analyses take more time. NIR technology allows us to obtain results in a few seconds. In this study commercial wheat flour samples were characterized in terms of protein, moisture, dry gluten, wet gluten, starch damage and ash contents. In addition, wheat flour dough rheological tests were assessed by farinograph and alveograph. Modified partial least squares analyses on NIR transmittance spectroscopy were developed for each constituent or property. Some NIR models obtained were accurate enough for screening end-use flour quality proposes purposes.