Characterization of the liposoluble fraction of common wheat (Triticum aestivum) and spelt (T. aestivum ssp. spelta) flours using multivariate analysis

Abstract

Background: In the present paper, a special method for derivatization of liposoluble extract of common wheat and spelt flours was employed which enables simultaneous detection of fatty acid and non-saponifiable lipid fractions.

Results: Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analytical data for both fractions were separately analyzed by multivariate statistical techniques to model classes of different common wheat and spelt cultivars. Cluster analysis was used, and the results obtained revealed that better discrimination of samples was achieved by analyzing the peak area after 16 min retention time (non-saponifiable lipids), rather than commonly used peak area between 12 and 16 min (fatty acid fraction), due to more distinctive positions of points in factor space, even though the distances between points for fatty acid fraction (12-16 min) were greater. Similar results were obtained by principal components analysis, where all wheat points almost coincided whereas spelt showed good discrimination.

Conclusion: Comparison of chromatogram areas for non-saponifiable lipid fraction between common and spelt wheat showed a statistically high difference and hence has a potential for use in authenticity control.

Keywords: derivatization; flour; liposoluble fraction; multivariate analysis; spelt; wheat.