MEASUREMENT OF FLOUR COLOR IN COLOR SPACE PARAMETERS

To adequately describe flour color, brightness and yellowness of flours from 33 crossbred lines of white-grained spring wheat were evaluated. Three tristimulus instruments were compared and, although the range of values differed slightly, they ranked samples in the same order according to either L* (brightness) or b* (yellowness). L* is positively correlated with the Kent-Jones grade value and is negatively correlated with ash content. b* is positively correlated with the AACC method for extractable yellow pigment. Reflectance measurements could be made on either dry flours or slurries. A flour color index (L* - b*) determined on dry flour successfully ranked samples in the same order as did visual assessment. This index was more successful than L*, b*, Kent-Jones grade value, or yellow pigment value in ranking flours in the same order as the visual assessment.