Kristof Brijs, Christophe M. Courtin, Hans Goesaert, Kurt Gebruers and Jan A. Delcour, Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Peter R. Shewry, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom; Robert J. Henry, Southern Cross University, Centre for Plant Conservation Genetics, Lismore, Australia; Jacques Nicolas, Jacques Potus, Rebeca Garcia and Sylvie Davidou, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, Paris, France
WHEAT: Chemistry and Technology, Fourth Edition
Pages 401-435
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/9781891127557.011
ISBN: 978-1-891127-55-7
Abstract
In the earlier edition of this monograph, a chapter (Kruger and Reed 1988) was devoted to cereal enzymes and color. From the title of that chapter alone, one is tempted to believe that, at the time of writing, enzymes were considered to be of only minor importance and did not deserve a chapter of their own. While this may be overstated, it is clear that in the past two decades a lot of progress has been made and that there is increased awareness that wheat endogenous enzymes and wheat endogenous enzyme inhibitors can have an important impact on cereal functionality. These developments have gone hand in hand with increased insights into the functionality of added enzyme systems in cereal processing, be it to facilitate processing, increase yields, or improve final product quality (Goesaert et al 2005, Trogh et al 2005, Van der Borght et al 2005).
The above-cited chapter discussed carbohydrate-degrading enzymes, proteolytic enzymes, esterases, oxidases, and other enzymes. The present chapter does the same, focusing on novel developments. However, we considered it useful to deal not only with enzyme systems but also with their proteinaceous inhibitors. Indeed, a lot of progress has been made in this area and, more specifically, in the area of endoxylanase inhibition, a novel protein functionality first described in 1997 and hence unknown at the time the earlier version of this monograph was written.
It is not possible in the present chapter to discuss every protein characterized from wheat. We focus on the major groups that have been characterized in most detail and, in most cases, are present at levels sufficient to contribute to the functional properties of the grain.
