Effect of Polyphenol Oxidase Activity on Discoloration of Noodle Dough Sheet Prepared from Korean Wheats

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is implicated in discoloration of white salted noodles and other wheat based foods. PPO activity was evaluated to determine the effect on discoloration of noodle dough sheets prepared from 25 Korean wheat flours during storage and to screen experimental lines with low PPO activity in 52 Korean wheats. PPO activity was assayed with whole-seed and performed with L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) as substrates. Absorbance by L-DOPA assay of 25 Korean wheats was from 0.285 to 1.368 at 475 nm. PPO activity was significantly related with grain characteristics, including 1000-kernel weight and grain colors. In flour characteristics, PPO activity positively correlated with ash and protein content (r = 0.658, P < 0.001 and r = 0.424, P < 0.05, respectively) and negatively correlated with $L^*$ value of flour (r = 0.412, P < 0.05). In the changes of color of noodle dough sheet, $L^*$ and $b^*$ values consistently decreased and $a^*$ value increased during storage. PPO activity negatively correlated with $L^*$ value of noodle dough sheet during storage (r = 0.566, P < 0.01 at 2 hr, r = 0.547, P < 0.01 at 24 hr, and r = 0.509, P < 0.01 at 48 hr). But, no significant relationship was found in between PPO activity, $a^*$ and $b^*$ values during storage. The 52 Korean wheat lines examined in this study were divided into 3 different groups, low (< 0.500), medium (0.501-0.999) and high level (> 1.000), on the basis of the level of PPO activity. Twenty two Korean wheat lines showed low level of PPO activity and Suwon 252, 277 and 280 showed lower PPO activity (< 0.200) than others.