Context and challenge

Evaluating wheat quality is a complex task, particularly as agriculture faces new constraints due to climate change while simultaneously striving to meet consumers' expectations for healthier food. This dual challenge imposes significant technological demands, requiring better alignment of raw materials with industrial processes and a more effective exploitation and characterization of existing wheat cultivars..

Traditionally, the criteria used to determine the use value of wheat have been limited, relatively empirical, and predominantly focused on bakery applications. A significant emphasis has been placed on bread-making tests, which are specifically designed for French bread. However, there is a growing need for a more robust and flexible wheat quality assessment system that can evaluate wheat specifications for a broader range of end-uses. These uses span diverse quality expectations, from the variety of bread-making applications to biscuit-making and beyond.

The ambition of EVAGRAIN is to design a Decision Support System  that computes a comprehensive assessment of wheat quality for various industrial end-uses. This system will utilize analytical data provided by the user, and leverage scientific and technological knowledge from the cereal sector.

To achieve this, 290 of bread wheat samples were analysed. These samples, harvested over three years (2020, 2021 and 2022), represent 99 cultivars of Triticum aestivum grown in 39 locations across France. Wheat samples were supplied by partners Arvalis, Limagrain, Axiane Meunerie and Walagri.