Brabender recognized for ‘fingerprint’ flour analyzer

The GlutoPeak rheometer provides a “rheological fingerprint” of any flour analyzed in a few minutes, by measuring the aggregation behavior of gliadin and glutenin proteins in a sample, to identify their baking properties. GlutoPeak: quick gluten quality measurement method that provides information about the characteristics of flour, whole grain, vital gluten and baking mixtures. 

Biscuit wheat

The peak time until the maximum torque is reached, and the height of the peak can provide significant information about the tested sample. Strong gluten produces rapid, high peaks and weak gluten shows later, flatter peaks, or no peaks at all, for example, with biscuit wheat. 

Marc Gelautz, marketing, Brabender, told BakeryandSnacks, within a couple of minutes, the GlutoPeak separates gluten from a flour-water suspension. 

“By means of a rotating measuring paddle, gluten is aggregated to a characteristic network that will afterwards be destroyed again by further energy input​,” he said. 

“Both steps reflect the characteristic properties of the flour. Decisive is the time taken to reach the maximum point on the curve, the peak, as well as its height​.” 

He added the Rapid Flour Check allows measuring and evaluating different quality parameters that are vital to raw material acceptance procedures. 

“Silver medals are awarded to existing products that have been developed to such an extent that a substantial improvement in their function and the process is achieved​,” said Gelautz. 

“We applied for this award in 2017 because we believe this new method could have a revolutionary impact on grain intake and allows for a significantly faster raw material quality assessment compared to other methods​. 

Defined parameters

“For ourselves, winning this internationally-recognized award is a great appreciation for our continuous ambition to optimize the quality control of raw materials and consequently, of the production process on our customers’ site​. 

“At the same time, we hope to increase awareness of our new method and of the Brabender GlutoPeak to find customers and help them to improve their processes in their goods receiving station.​” 

The new method for the Brabender GlutoPeak enables good correlations with known measuring values for flour analysis, such as protein content, wet gluten, water absorption and the Alveograph W value. 

GlutoPeak readings using the Rapid Flour Check enables the user to utilize the device for the direct ascertainment of defined parameters. Low sample quantities are all that is required to enable accurate protein content, wet gluten, moisture absorption and water absorption coefficient correlation information to be generated in less than five minutes. 

With only 9g of flour and 9g of distilled water, the new method provides good correlations with the protein content, wet gluten, Farinograph water absorption and Alveograph W-value, in addition to the general and extended evaluation points. 

The International FoodTec Awards 2018​ (​March 20) start at 5pm in Congress Centrum Ost (CC Ost), Congress-Saal 1+2 at Koelnmesse, Cologne, Germany.​ ​