THERMAL, PASTING AND RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF PROCESSED BUCKWHEAT (FAGOPYRUM ESCULENTUM) FLOUR

Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze the effect of various processing treatments on thermal, pasting, and rheological properties of buckwheat flour.Methods: Buckwheat seeds were processed through different processing treatments including cooking, germination, and fermentation, and their flours were produced. The processed flours were analyzed for their thermal properties using differential scanning calorimeter, pasting properties using rapid visco-analyzer, and rheological properties using rotational rheometer.Results: Fermented buckwheat flour showed significantly (p≤0.05) higher onset temperature (To=66.6°C), peak temperature (Tp=71.15°C), conclusion temperature (Tc=78.03°C), and enthalpy of gelatinization (1.89 J/g). The peak viscosity ranged from 39 to 1299 cp, lowest for cooked buckwheat flour and highest for fermented buckwheat flour. The native buckwheat flour showed the highest value, whereas cooked buckwheat flour showed the lowest value for storage modulus (G’) and loss modulus (G”). The value of tan ∂ was lower than 1 for native and processed buckwheat dough.Conclusion: The changes observed in physicochemical properties of buckwheat flour after processing treatments provided a crucial basis for its potential applications on an industrial scale. Furthermore, buckwheat seeds are gluten-free; therefore, their flour or products can be used for persons suffering from celiac diseases.