b'FALLING NUMBER TELLS MUCH ABOUTFALLING NUMBERContinued from previous pageWHEAT QUALITY The Canadian Grain Commission pro-Test helps ensure Canadian reputation for wheat quality is maintained vides definitions of sprouted and severely sproutedkernelsandindicateslimitsfor wheat in the Official Grain Grading Guide. Sprouted kernels may show swelling or a By Elaine Sopiwnyk visible sprout in the germ area, the bran Cereals Canada maybesplitoverthegermand/orthe germ may be missing. A ssessmentoffallingnumberisaStirring: The test tube is placed in the instrument, which contains a boiling water bath. edWhen growth of the sprout extends past the normal contours of the germ, the ker-criticaltesttoassesswheatqual- nelisconsideredseverelysprouted.The ity and the effects of sprout dam- amount of sprouted and severely sprout-age that can occur in wet conditions duringThe test begins and the weighted stirrer is moved up/down through the mixture for kernels is combined to assess the total harvest.Suchtestsensurethequalityand60 seconds, stopping when in its uppermost position. At this point the weighted stirrer sprouted kernels when a sample of wheat reputation of Canadian wheat is maintained. is allowed to freely fall through the ground slurry. At the same time, the starch in theis graded.Falling number is not a grading specifica- ground wheat begins to swell because of the heat from the boiling water bath.tion in Canada but there is strict toleranceThe mixture will thicken. for sprouted kernels. Milling companies thatMeasuring: The falling number is the number of seconds it takes for the weighted stirrerbuyCanadianwheat,andtheircustomersto fall a measured distance through the hot slurry. (end-product processors), may request a spe-cificfallingnumbervalueaspartoftheir contract. Sproutedkernelscontainhighlevelsof an enzyme that negatively affects wheat and flour/semolina quality, resulting in products that customers dont like. An example is pan bread with a darker colour, smaller size, and large or uneven holes in the bread slice. Cereals Canada does extensive testing toIMAGE: COURTESY OF PERKINELMERdeterminetheeffectoffallingnumberon end-products like bread and noodles. This is part of the New Crop Harvest Assessment, and all results are presented to customers andFALLING NUMBER TESTbuyers of Canadian wheat during new wheatIt can take more than 15 minutes to perform the test. crop presentations. The falling number provides an estimate oftheamountofsproutdamage.Values around 350 seconds provide millers and cus-tomers with the assurance that the wheat is sound. Wheat that has lower falling num-ber values due to sprouted kernels can be a challenge for exporters and millers to man-age because it cannot be easily blended with unsprouted wheat to improve overall quality.If the wheat that is ground has sprouted kernels, high enzyme activity breaks down the starch so the mixture will not thicken well. This causes the plunger used in the test to fall quickly through the mixture, resultingSample preparation: A representative sample of wheat is ground using a specific grinder. in a low falling number. Dispensing: A portion of ground wheat and water is placed in a test tube. If the ground wheat sample has limitedShaking:The test tube is vigorously shaken to ensure the sample is thoroughly mixed. sprouted kernels, there is low enzyme activ- A weighted stirrer or plunger is added to the test tube.ity so the mixture becomes thick. It is better able to support the weight of the plunger, resulting in a high falling number.MoreFALLING NUMBER on next page8SEED MANITOBA 2024SEEDMB.CA SEEDMB.CASEED MANITOBA 2024 9'