Durum wheat particle size and starch and protein digestion in lab tests
What it found
Finer durum wheat particles released more starch, glucose and protein during simulated digestion.
This was measured in lab tests, not in people.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Starch breakdown by size
In lab tests, the finest wheat flour broke down 52% of its starch. The largest particles broke down only 25%. Medium sizes gave 28% to 32%.
Glucose release by size
Glucose release dropped as wheat particles got bigger. Lab tests found 92.16% glucose release for the finest flour. The largest particles released 47.39%.
Protein digestion by size
The finest wheat particles also released the most protein during lab digestion. Protein breakdown followed the same pattern as starch.
What the authors conclude
- They say that making wheat endosperm particles smaller increases starch release and expected blood sugar responses.
- They note that protein availability follows the same pattern as starch digestion.
- They suggest their results support the idea that how starch is trapped inside wheat affects blood sugar levels.
How it was done
The researchers wanted to see how much starch and protein is freed from wheat during digestion. They tested wheat ground into different particle sizes.
They prepared five porridge meals from durum wheat with particle sizes ranging from 0.11 mm to 1.95 mm. Each meal went through simulated chewing, stomach and gut digestion in the lab.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- These are lab digestion tests, not studies in people.
- They cannot show what actually happens to blood sugar after eating different wheat products.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (from the PubMed record).
- Authors work at
- Institute of Food Research, UK; University of Messina, Italy
The paper
- Title
- Durum wheat particle size affects starch and protein digestion in vitro
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Mandalari G, Merali Z, Ryden P, et al (2018). Durum wheat particle size affects starch and protein digestion in vitro. European journal of nutrition. doi:10.1007/s00394-016-1321-yPubMed 27785565DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error