Food Science and Technology Department
First Advisor
Devin J. Rose
Date of this Version
10-2016
Abstract
Understanding of the contribution of environmental and genetic factors on the chemical composition of different grains is a critical issue in the area of food safety of cereal products. Numerous studies have reported that asparagine can form acrylamide, a toxic and potentially carcinogenic precursor compound, during a Milliard reaction. Therefore, studying the environmental and genetic effects that contribute to accumulation of asparagine in wheat and proso millet lines, which were grown in the state of Nebraska, is important for supporting breeding programs aimed at providing safer crops for consumers. In the realm of reduction of the asparagine concentration in wheat-based foods, another approach deals with the addition of the enzyme asparaginase from microbial sources to transform asparagine to aspartic acid and ammonia during processing. Data described herein provides, for the first time, preliminary evidence of asparaginase activity is present naturally in wheat kernels. Finally, correlation of asparagine with an unknown compound was discovered in a study of proton NMR spectrum of baked flour extract in deuterated chloroform.
Advisor: Devin Rose
Comments
A THESIS Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Master of Science Major: Food Science and Technology Under the Supervision of Professor Devin Rose Lincoln, Nebraska October, 2016
Copyright 2016 Sviatoslav Navrotskyi