*3.3. Farinographic Water Absorption*

Calculated farinographic water absorption of the analyzed wholemeal flours is shown in Table 3.


**Table 3.** Recalculated farinographic water absorption of the wholemeal finely granulated flours (WM FG). Data are the means of three replicates (±standard deviation).

Data represent the means of three replicates. Small letters in the same column denote significant differences according to Duncan's new multiple range test (MRT) (*p* ≤ 0.05).

The binding of wholemeal flours was determined in a mixture with standard wheat flour of known binding (the proportion of wholemeal flours was 30% by weight) and recalculated according to the mixing tolerance index. The bindings of wholemeal flours are unsurprisingly higher, which is due to their composition (presence of a higher proportion of biopolymers, especially polysaccharides with hydrocolloid properties). In all cases, the water absorption of these flours is around 60 or more percent. This, of course, has an impact on the processing (baking) properties. The water absorption did not fully correlate with the granulation of individual flours.

#### *3.4. Solvent Retention Capacity Profile of Flours*

While previous results relate to the physical impacts of the disintegration process, the SRC method is intended to outline a rough picture of the state of the microstructure of the endosperm after disintegration. SRC values of the analyzed wholemeal flours are presented in Table 4.

**Table 4.** SRC values of the wholemeal finely granulated flours (WM FG). Data are the means of three replicates (±standard deviation). SRC values are expressed as percent of flour weight, on a 14% moisture basis.


Data represent the means of three replicates. Small letters in the same column denote significant differences according to Duncan's new multiple range test (MRT) (*p* ≤ 0.05).

Within the bounds of possibility provided by this method, the following can be stated. The SRC values in water correspond to a higher farinographic water absorption, although the results of farinographic binding are more balanced for individual flours. The SRC values for the sucrose solution correspond to the content of pentosans (arabinoxylans) and are relatively high, which is not a problem. High values for the lactic acid solution correspond to a higher presence of glutenins proteins in whole-wheat flours (both in common wheat and in spelt); in rye, endosperm proteins have different properties than in wheat, and in buckwheat they are practically absent.

For our research, the most significant values were those of SRC in sodium carbonate solution, which correspond to the degree of starch damage. From their values, the degree of starch damage in the examined wholemeal flours appears to be higher in comparison with the values for common flours in both wheat and spelt, as well as in the case of rye. The values for buckwheat are difficult to interpret in relation to wheat or rye because its flours behave very differently when determining SRC values (there was a partial separation of the layers during determination in sodium carbonate solution). Why it occurs still needs to be investigated in future research.

*3.5. Determination of Characteristics of the Saccharide–Amylase Complex Using Falling Number and Amylograph*

Values of Falling Number (FN) of the analyzed wholemeal flours are listed in Table 5.

**Table 5.** Falling Number values of the wholemeal finely granulated flours (WM FG). Data are the means of three replicates (±standard deviation).


\* Sample weight 4.40 g. Data represent the means of three replicates. Small letters in the same column denote significant differences according to Duncan's new multiple range test (MRT) (*p* ≤ 0.05).

This method indirectly informs about the amylolytic activity of the investigated material and the degree of damage to starch, which occurs during disintegration, affects only secondarily. Rather, if other methods indicate a higher degree of starch damage, the FN values illustrate to what extent it is enzymatic damage and to what extent physical. With examined wholemeal flours in the case of wheat, spelt, and rye, the FN values do not indicate increased amylolytic activity. Irrelevant values arise and the sample weight must be changed in order to obtain the FN values common to wheat, in the case of buckwheat under the conditions of the method for wheat or rye.

Amylographic evaluation provides a more comprehensive view of the state of the saccharide–amylase complex or starch, respectively. The values of amylolytic determination of the analyzed wholemeal flours are presented in Table 6.

**Table 6.** Values of amylographic measurements of wholemeal finely granulated flours (WM FG). Data are the means of duplicates (±standard deviation).


\* Sample weight 40 g. Data represent the means of duplicates. Small letters in the same column denote significant differences according to Duncan's new multiple range test (MRT) (*p* ≤ 0.05).

> The determination of the amylographic maximum in the case of whole-wheat flours from common wheat shows rather a lower degree of starch damage even in comparison with common white wheat flour, which was also confirmed by control measurements using the RVA method (Rapid Visco Analyzer) (data unpublished). In the case of spelt or rye, on the basis of this indicator, the degree of starch damage appears to be rather higher, but not substantially so.

> The problem is again in the case of determining amylographic indicators for buckwheat, similar to the determination of FN. Thus, the amylographic indicators of the examined wholemeal flours (especially in the case of sown wheat) also point to a relatively low degree of mechanical and thermal damage to starch, which does not differ significantly from the degree of damage caused by the standard grinding method.

The confrontation and the discussion with other studies was not possible because there are no available literature data on the grinding of cereals on this particular type of mill, which was not originally intended for their processing. Although similar types of grinding machines have already been used for these purposes, there are still relatively few literature data and each of the principally similar mills has its own specifics, for which comparison is difficult.
