The effects of bulgur cooking methods and as an alternative method ohmic cooking on bulgur quality

This study investigated the physicochemical properties of Ovidio durum wheat. The physical and chemical characteristics of wheat used in bulgur production were examined, including 1000 kernel weight (38.23±2.41 g), hectoliter weight (79.96±0.25 kg/hl), sieve analysis (grade 1 according to TS 2974:2018 standard), moisture content (8.6±0.3%), ash content (2.42±0.01%), water holding capacity (24±1.23%), protein content (14.40±0.40%), color (L*: 52.67±0.88, a*: 7.54±1.03, b*: 27.45±1.85), fat content (1.08±0.08%), starch content (51.5±0.23%), crude cellulose (5.73±0.76%), and total organic matter content (1.32±0.12). In this study, the effect of different cooking methods, specifically cooking under pressure (60 minutes) and traditional boiling (open pot cooking), on the quality of bulgur obtained from wheat was investigated. The traditional cooking process was used to determine the complete gelatinization time of wheat, which was then selected as the optimum cooking time. Texture analysis was conducted on the result of the traditional cooking process, and based on the texture properties of wheat cooked using different methods, the optimum cooking times for other suitable cooking methods were determined. When examining the textural properties of wheat samples cooked using different methods, optimum cooking times for producing bulgur with similar properties to the traditional method were determined as 60 minutes under pressure, 80 minutes at 40V/cm using ohmic cooking, and 100 minutes at 30V/cm using ohmic cooking. The moisture content of the wheat samples obtained in various cooking methods were found to be 10.76±0.17%, 12.51±0.62%, 9.95±0.28%, and 9.18±0.18% for traditional, pressure-cooked (60 mins), ohmic (80 mins, 40V/cm), and ohmic (100 mins, 30V/cm) methods, respectively. The ash content was 1.88±0.44%, 2.43±0.21%, 2.31±0.11%, and 2.11±0.11%; total protein content was 13.74±0.74%, 12.53±0.53%, 13.82±0.52%, and 13.33±0.33%, respectively. The color analysis showed L* (lightness), a* (red-green), and b* (yellow-blue) values as follows: 52.70±0.96, -3.75±0.46, 27.29±0.62; 51.27±0.68, -1.69±1.15, 23.58±0.75; 44.52±0.43, -3.51±1.27, 26.36±0.86; 49.86±1.34, -4.68±1.07, 34.88±0.44, respectively. Furthermore, the fat content was 0.84±0.004%, 0.84±0.003%, 0.87±0.005%, and 0.85±0.006%; starch content was 47.40±0.16%, 46.80±0.85%, 50.85±0.08%, and 50.36±0.31%; crude cellulose content was 4.10±0.25%, 4.53±0.23%, 4.89±0.49%, and 5.08±0.43%; total flavonoid content was 5.79±0.01 mg catechin/g dry matter, 7.63±0.01 mg catechin/g dry matter, 7.37±0.01 mg catechin/g dry matter, and 7.54±0.01 mg catechin/g dry matter, respectively. Regarding Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) profiles of the bulgur samples, the highest T0 and Tp values were observed in the traditional cooking method at 51.32 °C and 100.08 °C, respectively. The lowest T0 and Tp values were found in the ohmic cooking method at 100 mins and 30V/cm at 40.41 °C and 86.55 °C, respectively. The highest enthalpy (ΔH) value (368.91 J/g) was observed in the pressure-cooked (60 mins) bulgur, while the lowest enthalpy (ΔH) value (307.76 J/g) was observed in the traditionally cooked bulgur.