Tamworth Cereal Chemistry Unit (TCC) performs quality screening of durum wheat lines for the Australian National Durum Wheat improvement Program (ANDWIP) and other breeding companies. TCC also conducts research in collaboration with other organisations, and performs its own research through CRC’s, GRDC and other funding sources on durum wheat quality and biochemistry/technology. 

Capabilities

The capabilities of TCC for analyses include:
1. Receiving durum and other wheat (suitable storage facilities)
2. Grain evaluation for protein, moisture, hardness, weight, appearance, vitreousness, falling number, near infrared analysis
3. Production of semolina using laboratory mills (2 Buhler and one Quadramat Junior mill) and its purification
4. Semolina analysis for protein, moisture, ash, particle size distribution, colour, dough rheology (farinograph, extensograph, glutomatic, mixograph)
5. Production facilities for preparing spaghetti on 50-3000g scale
6. Spaghetti quality analysis for colour, texture, cooking loss and water uptake, appearance
7. Image analysis of grain and semolina
8. Protein analysis includes HPLC, Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE, Acid-PAGE, IEF), quantification of protein in solution, analysis of enzyme activities (PPO, peroxidise, PAL, TAL, catalase). Isolation of gluten, glutenin, gliadin, LMW-GS and HMW-GS on a micro- and preparative scales.
9. Carbohydrate analysis includes total and damaged starch, in vitro starch hydrolysis in pasta, resistant starch, ß-glucan estimation, isolation of starch, starch swelling power, amylose content in starch, starch granule size distribution, total phenol, antioxidant analysis.

TCC is a standard ISO9001 accreditated laboratory.

Current Projects

• Development of high quality varieties for the ANDWIP (Collaboration with University of Adelaide)
• Development of novel durum wheats (Collaboration with University of Sydney)
• Development of world-wide standard method for measuring spaghetti cooked firmness (Collaboration with Canadian Grain Commission)
• PIIC PhD project on functional food pasta (Collaboration with University of New England)
• Effect of nutrition packages on durum yield and quality (Collaboration with AWB Ltd-Landmark)
• International collaborative studies with Agriculture Canada (Black point in durum wheat)
• Evaluation of waxy durum wheats (Collaboration University of Adelaide)

Publications/New Durum Varieties

TCC has published over 20 scientific papers in refereed journals on durum wheat chemistry and technology and 45 conference papers and reports to industry.

TCC has been involved in the release of 5 new durum wheat varieties since 1999.

Tamworth Cereal Chemistry staff

This unit consists of four staff headed by Dr Mike Sissons, senior research scientist. Other staff: Ms Narelle Egan (CR funded TO), Ms Sue Balfe (CR funded TO) and Mrs Shaylene Sissons (industry funded TO). In addition the unit currently has a PhD student, Mrs Nisha Aravind, funded by the Primary Industries Innovation Centre. TCC also has casual staff during busy periods.

Contact information

Dr Mike Sissons, PhD
Senior Research Scientist
NSW Department of Primary Industries
Tamworth Agricultural Institute
4 Marsden Park Road
CALALA  NSW  2340

and Adjunct Associate Professor
School of Biological, Biomedical and Molecular Sciences
The University of New England,
Armidale, NSW 2351
Australia

Ph 61 267631119
Fax 61 67631222
Email: mike.sissons@dpi.nsw.gov.au