Some Chemical and Physical Properties of Einkorn Wheat (Triticum monococcum) Cultivated in Kastamonu (Turkey)

Abstract

Einkorn (Triticum monococcum), one of the most important of our ancestral wheat, has been already grown in the northern and northern transition regions of Turkey, especially in Kastamonu. Thanks to the increasing interest of today's consumers in natural products and non-improved varieties, agricultural production areas and amount of production are increasing day by day. Although Ihsangazi district in Kastamonu is the region where einkorn production is the highest in Turkey, it tends to increase in other districts in the face of increasing demand. In this study, some chemical (ash, fat, protein, moisture, carbohydrate) and physical attributes (hull/internal ratio, hectoliter, and thousand grain weight) and mineral contents of einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum) samples collected from 20 locations in 4 districts where the production of einkorn was the highest, were determined. Results were evaluated statistically both between districts and among samples. The difference between district averages in terms of properties studied was not found to be statistically significant. Einkorn wheat samples had 2.35% ash, 2.88% fat, 14.22% protein, 71.63% carbohydrate contents. The mineral contents of einkorn samples were determined, including Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Zn, Mn and Co elements. Ca (545.67 ppm), Fe (39.22 ppm), Mn (44.36 ppm) and Zn (52.70 ppm) mineral contents on provincial average were much higher than the mineral contents of durum wheat and bread wheat types. In addition, it was determined that K contents (4608-8086 ppm) of Kastamonu einkorn wheat samples were higher than the values reported in the literature. It was concluded that the use of einkorn wheat, which is used in bulgur and bread-making locally, in alternative grain products by blending with bread wheat flour and durum wheat semolina due to its low gluten, high protein and rich mineral content, could meet the natural and functional product expectations of today's consumers.