Basic Science and methodology behind Falling Number along with its mechanical use.

1. Start Of Presentation

2. 
 Muhammad Raheel
 BS 3rd Year 2015 (Morning Program)
 Department of Food Science & Technology
 University of Karachi
 Pakistan
Prepared By

3. 
 Also referred to as the Hagberg’s Number.
 Measures the level of alpha-amylase activity that has
occurred within a grain sample.
 Alpha-amylase ???
It is an enzyme that degrades starch within the seed
greatly reducing flour quality.
Introduction

4. 
 1960 Sven Hagberg developed a rapid, original method for
determining alpha-amylase activity in sprout damaged grain.
 1961 Sven Hagberg named the method “Falling number” with a
simple modification.
 1962 Harald Perten founded Perten Instruments and commercialized
falling number apparatus.
 1968 International Association of Cereal Science and Technology
approved the method as ICC Standard No. 107/1
 1972 The method was implemented as an official AACC method 56-
81B.
 1982 The International Organization for Standardization approved the
method as ISO 3093.
History

5. 
Working Principle

6. 
 Sample Preparation
 Weighing
 Dispensing
 Shaking
 Stirring
 Measuring
 The Falling Number
Major Steps

7. 
How is FN calculated?
Falling Number= (5sec stand) + (55 sec stirring )+ (time taken to fall in sec)
Example: 5 + 55 + 240 = 300FN

8. 
 When tubes are in water bath, starch begins to gelatinize and the
slurry becomes viscous.
 The alpha-amylase enzyme starts to breakdown starch and the
viscosity thus decreases.
 The amount of starch break down dependent on alpha-amylase
activity which means the higher the activity of amylase the lower is the
viscosity.
 The more sprouted the grain, the higher the alpha-amylase activity.
 The higher the alpha-amylase activity, the lower the viscosity of slurry.
 The lower the viscosity of slurry the faster the stirrer will fall.
 More sprouted grain results in low FN, as FN is the time it takes the
stirrer to fall to the bottom.
Chemistry behind FN

9. 
Why measure the alpha-amylase activity??
Rainy, adverse weather conditions during harvest can
cause sprouting. When sprouting occurs the alpha-
amylase enzyme develops. Alpha-amylase activity has
direct impact on bread, pasta quality and adversely
affects the malting process.
As little as 5% sprouted grain mixed with 95% sound
grain can render the entire mixture unacceptable.
Applications

10. 
Falling Number in Pasta and Noodle
manufacturing

11. 
Producing noodles from flour with a low falling
number is difficult with dough handling and cutting
problems and product sticking to machinery. It also
result in an off-color end consumer product which will
be sticky after it is boiled. Using flour with the correct
FN will result in saving through improved processing
as well as a higher quality end product.
Continue…

12. 
Falling Number in flour milling
and baking

13. 
A certain amount of alpha-amylase is necessary for proper baking to
occur. The alpha-amylase breaks down starch to provide sugar to help
fuel the fermentation process. The presence of enzyme depend upon the
quality of bread produced.
 FN=250; When the alpha-amylase activity is right, a high volume
bread with firm and soft texture is achieved.
 FN=62; If the activity is too high, a sticky bread crumb and low
volume may result.
 FN=400; If the activity is too low, a dry bread crumb with diminished
volume may result.
The FN value has an inverse relationship with the alpha-amylase activity
meaning the higher the amylase activity the lower the FN value.
Continue…

14. 
 Temperature of water bath should be 100C
 The FN instrument analyses viscosity by measuring the resistance of a
flour-and-water paste to a falling stirrer.
 FN result are recorded as an index of enzyme of enzyme activity in a
wheat or flour sample and the result are expressed in time as seconds.
 A high FN (above 300 sec) indicates minimal enzyme activity and
sound quality wheat or flour.
 A low FN (below 250 sec) indicates substantial enzyme activity and
sprout damaged wheat or flour.
 When grinding a wheat sample to perform a FN test, it should be at-
least 300gm to assure a representative sample.
 Values below 300 sec are indicative of poor quality for milling and
baking purposes.
Need to know!

15. 
Machine develop by a North American Company;
Related to Instrument

16. 
Model= FN 1500 Model=FN 1310
Instrument Models

17. 
Model= FN 1000 Model= FN 1700/1900
Continue…

18. 
Dispenser Lab Mills
Accessories Used

19. 
Late maturity a-amylase: Low falling number in wheat
in the absence of pre-harvest sprouting.
(Australia, 30 Jan 2007)
Key points;
 Late maturity and pre-harvest a-amylase.
 Effect on a-amylase activity in wheat grain.
 Effect of temperature on wheat grain.
 Effect on end-product.
Research

20. 
 www.living-foods.com/articles/sprouting.html
 www.wheatflourbook.org/main.aspx?p=67
 www.sites.ext.vt.edu/newletter-
archive/cses/2007/falling_number.html
 www.perten.com>Products
 http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/36070500/Info
Dianehasuploaded/2010ResearchReviewAnnualReport/MKwe
on-FN-012810.pdf
 www.elsevier.com/locate/jcs
 1-s2.0-S0733521007000276-main
References

21. 
End Of Presentation