Wheat milling efficiency and flour quality are fundamentally governed by kernel fracture behavior during mechanical processing. This study systematically investigated the fracture characteristics of wheat kernels through a multi-stage experimental approach. Rupture tests comparing shear and compression loading revealed that shear reduced fracture energy by 40%, with vitreous kernels (16.13 mJ) showing greater resistance than floury types (10.45 mJ) at 13% moisture. Microstructural characterization revealed distinct fracture modes: vitreous kernels fractured intercellularly, while floury kernels fractured intracellularly—quantified via fractal geometry (vitreous: fractal dimension D = 1.262; floury: D = 1.365). Controlled bran removal experiments demonstrated that outer bran layers provide 40% of total fracture resistance, with vitreous kernels depending primarily on endosperm properties beyond 5% peeling, whereas floury kernels exhibited progressive strength loss with each layer removed. These findings enable optimized milling strategies: shear-based systems for energy efficiency, minimal processing (≤5% bran removal) for vitreous wheat, and moderate peeling (≤10%) for floury wheat, ultimately advancing both scientific understanding and industrial practice in cereal processing.

Background: The increasing demand for nutritionally enriched foods has driven interest in colored wheat varieties, which may offer enhanced nutritional benefits. This study aims to compare the quality of noodles made from whole flours of blue, purple, and black wheat with a white wheat control. Methods: Noodles were formulated using different substitution levels of colored whole wheat flours, and their quality was evaluated based on nutritional properties, texture, and antioxidant capacity. Results: The results showed that colored whole wheat flours significantly improved the nutritional properties compared to white wheat. Black wheat exhibited the highest selenium content (5.28 μg/g), while blue wheat had the highest anthocyanin level (14.15 mg/100 g). The incorporation of colored wheat flours increased moisture content (9.15–11.36%) and cooking loss (5.22–8.34%), while reducing noodle hardness, with the 75% purple wheat substitution showing the lowest value (5347.08 g). Although processing and cooking reduced anthocyanin content and ABTS radical scavenging activity, noodles made with colored wheat retained significantly higher levels of anthocyanins (42.75–88.97%) and antioxidant capacity (16.31–47.42%) than those made with white wheat. Discussion: These findings suggest that colored wheat varieties hold significant potential for developing functional noodles with improved nutritional profiles. Despite changes in texture, these noodles offer enhanced antioxidant activity without compromising their quality, making them a viable option for nutritionally enriched food products.

Non-fried whole-wheat instant noodles feature high dietary fiber and balanced nutrition but suffer from poor rehydration, texture, and flavor. This study aims to improve the quality of these noodles through mixed fermentation of yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The rehydration characteristics, textural profile, sensory quality, microstructure, volatile flavor compounds, and in vitro digestibility of non-fried instant whole-wheat noodles were evaluated. Yeast primarily reduced rehydration time and improved mouthfeel, whereas LAB mainly contributed to the formation of a continuous and uniform gluten network as well as the enhancement of noodle flavor. Moderate addition of the mixed culture (1% yeast + 0.05% LAB) promoted the construction of a homogeneous gluten network in non-fried whole-wheat instant noodles, effectively reducing starch digestibility and estimated glycemic index (eGI). However, excessive addition caused opposite effects on these noodles. This study provides an effective processing strategy for the production of high-quality, low-eGI whole-wheat instant noodles, which are suitable for people pursuing healthy diets and controlling blood sugar levels.