## 1 Introduction  
The global population continues to increase, which generates a higher demand for food, mainly plant-based food [1; 2; 3; 4]. The global cereal-equivalent food demand is projected to increase by around 10% in 2030 and around 62% in 2050 due to growing social, economic, and demographic pressures [5]. Wheat is one of the most important cereal crops around the world [3; 6; 7]. The aim of modern crop breeding practices and wheat production technologies is not only to increase grain yields but also to improve grain quality [8; 9; 10]. The technological quality of grain produced for baking purposes is determined based on the chemical composition and physicochemical properties of flour [11; 12; 13; 14; 15]. The main quality attributes of wheat flour include its color, total protein content, and crude ash content. Wheat flour with desirable quality parameters is obtained by milling high-quality grain or by blending grains from batches with different technological qualities to achieve an end product with specific properties [16]. Color is a very important quality attribute of wheat flour, in particular in flour intended for the production of bread and pasta, because it affects consumer acceptability and the market value of cereal products [17]. The color of flour is influenced mainly by lutein, xanthophyll, \(\beta\)-carotene, and crude ash minerals (phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and calcium) [18; 19]. The processing suitability of flour is partly determined by its crude ash content [20; 21; 22; 23]. The crude ash content could be low in flour for baking light cakes and higher in bread flour [24]. In Poland, flours are classified into types based on their crude ash content (for example, type 450 is light cake flour, type 750 is bread flour, and 2000 is whole-wheat flour) [16]. The color of flour is influenced by the coarseness of the grind and ash content (the lower the ash content, the lighter the flour). White flour is produced mainly from the endosperm, the central part of the kernel, where ash content does not exceed 5 g kg\({}^{-1}\) dry matter (DM). The bran layer (seed coat) surrounding the endosperm is also partly ground during milling. The crude ash content of the seed coat ranges from 60 to 100 g kg\({}^{-1}\) DM. Therefore, the finer the grind, the more ash is transferred to flour, resulting in its darker color [16]. Protein content is one of the key factors for classifying wheat grain [25]. Flours intended for various purposes differ in their protein content. Flours with a higher protein content (?125 g kg\({}^{-1}\) DM) are used in bread production, whereas flours with a lower protein content (?95 g kg\({}^{-1}\) DM) are best suited for baking cakes and biscuits [26]. The rheological properties of flour determine its suitability for the production of various types of baked goods, and these properties are measured with the use of a farinograph [27; 28]. A farinograph supports the dynamic measurements of the consistency of dough made from wheat flour and water, as well as changes in the dough properties during mixing. The following rheological properties are measured with a farinograph: the water absorption capacity of flour, dough development time, dough stability, and degree of softening. The water absorption capacity of flour is defined as the amount of water needed to bring the dough to maximum consistency [29; 30]. Flours with a high water absorption capacity are used in the production of light and puffy cakes or breads, and they enhance the end products' taste, increase crumb softness, and delay bread staling [30; 31]. In turn, flours with a lower water absorption capacity are used in the production of cakes and biscuits [32]. Elastic dough with a low viscosity absorbs more water during mixing than weak dough [30]. Based on flour's water absorption capacity, changes in the dough consistency during development and the degree of dough softening during mixing are registered by the farinograph [28]. The dough development time is influenced by gluten stability [25; 33].