Durum doubles for bread and pasta.

Bakery patrons who want bread with a slightly nutty taste and creamy interior color could soon find such fare made largely from durum wheat flour. Today durum's main market is pasta. A durum also suited for breads would find new markets.

USDA/ARS scientists (Red River Valley Agricultural Research Center, Wheat Quality Laboratory, Harris Hall, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105) are working to produce durum breeding lines for both pasta and bread products. Meanwhile, they have modified a conventional baking process to hasten the advent of white pan breads made mostly from durum.

Until now, bread flour composed of more than 25% durum did not produce the light and airy loaves most consumers desire. But with a modified baking procedure, 1 lb loaves of bread containing 60% durum flour baked up with nearly the same volume as bread from 100% hard red spring wheat (HRSW) flour. The scientists have also baked bread with 60% soft wheat pastry flour and 40% HRSW flour with excellent results.

HRSW flour is noted for its high gluten strength. Gluten accounts for large bread loaf volume because it imparts flexibility and strength to the dough as fermentation makes the dough rise and retain gas. To make durum bread, the scientists modified the sponge-dough method by incorporating the weaker gluten strength durum flour at a 60% level plus 10% HRSW flour in the

sponge.

Generally the sponge requires stronger gluten flour because of extended mixing and longer fermentation. The dough stage contained the remaining 30% HRSW flour. Following baking, bread made with 60% durum flour was similar in loaf volume to bread made with 100% HRSW flour.

During the sponge development stage, commercial bakers mix 70% of the flour with water and yeast and let the mixture ferment up to 3 hr. During the dough stage of development, the sponge is remixed with water, sugar, nonfat dry milk, shortening, salt and the remaining flour. Following additional fermentation and proof times, the dough is then baked.

Further information. Gary Hareland; phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; email: [e-mail].