Obesity, especially childhood obesity, is a growing public health concern in the United States affecting more of the population each year. Obesity is also associated with increased risk of other health issues including diabetes and heart disease. Food choices impact all of these health problems. Consumption of whole grain food products provide a multitude of benefits, including a lower risk of obesity. Whole wheat is more nutritious than refined or enriched wheat because it has more protein and fiber as well as more vitamins and minerals, but many consumers do not like the taste of whole wheat food products. The overall goal of this proposal is to increase consumer acceptance of whole grain wheat by improving the shelf life and flavor of whole grain flour. We propose to develop new wheat varieties with decreased activity of enzymes that lead to bitter, rancid flavors that reduce the shelf life of whole grain flour. We are taking two approaches to develop these varieties. The first approach is to apply a targeted method to identify and breed wheat lines with reduced levels of a key enzyme thought to cause rancidity of wheat flour. Our second approach is to identify an unknown genetic difference in a variety with very low rancidity. By improving shelf life and flavor of whole grain wheat flour, we aim to reduce costs and increase consumer acceptance and consumption of whole grain wheat products. Whole wheat products that taste better and are more economical could allow many more children access to whole grains, which in turn could help decrease the prevalence of obesity.
