Tortillas with acceptable texture containing nutritional benefits of increased total dietary fibre (TDF) and beta-glucan (BG) have potential in the marketplace. Understanding the relationship between the textural perception of barley tortillas, instrumental measurements and fibre components will aid in the development of tortillas made from non-traditional flour sources. Flour from fifteen barley cultivars representing a range of starch characteristics was blended to 60% extraction using straight grade flour, dusted flour from bran and dusted flour from shorts. Tortillas were evaluated by a sensory panel trained to measure the intensity of seven textural attributes on a 15-cm line scale. A 1.9-cm diameter probe attached to the texture analyzer was directed downward through the centre of the tortilla to the break point. Slope of the instrumental texture curve showed a significant correlation with all seven of the sensory textural attributes as well as the BG and starch level. A decrease in slope produced higher rollability, ease of compression and stickiness to teeth. An increase in slope produced higher breakability, hardness, chewiness and moisture absorption. Time to break the tortilla resulted in significant correlations for five of the seven attributes, peak force two attributes, and area produced no significant correlations. As BG and TDF increased hardness and chewiness decreased. Chewiness was significantly lower for samples with a higher level of BG when measured on tortillas made from three cultivars with bran added. It would appear that the slope is the most useful measurement to relate to tortilla textural perception. This relationship was implemented to assess the suitability of tortillas made from barley flours with different composition.
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