The following tables present desirable ranges for the results of the various wheat, flour, and baking quality evaluations accomplished on the eastern soft wheats harvested in 1995. Quality ranges are presented for flours that may be intended for a contemporary pastry flour and for a flour with somewhat stronger gluten protein characteristics for the production of crackers or for export where utilization will be in various international breads. The stronger protein cracker wheats are not semi-hard wheats. They only have more protein content and should have stronger gluten. All nine main categories in the tables are important.
Some categories are more important to individual millers and bakers, depending on their objectives.
However, a high quality soft wheat cultivar will satisfy the ranges of all categories. The highest quality cultivars will be within range of as many tests within each category as possible. Products made using pastry flour include, cookies, cakes, pie crust, donuts, layered pastries, wafers, cones, batters, pancakes, waffles, soup thickeners, muffins, and biscuits. In general, the desirable data ranges for pastry flour represent soft kernel texture, no field sprouting, high milling qualities, medium protein content, low alkaline water retention, high test weight and grain condition, medium protein strength, and baking qualities that are typical of soft wheats having those characteristics. The specific attributes are defined in the tables.