New wheat variety ‘to deliver top baking quality’

22-Mar-2017 - Last updated on 18-Apr-2024 at 12:48 GMT

KWS Zyatt was successful in Rank Hovis Milling tests

New milling wheat variety KWS Zyatt will offer millers improved quality, by delivering better dough texture and strength, claims Rank Hovis Milling head of technical Shaun Taylor.

Based on baking tests, the versatile grain was suitable for a number of products – including bread, bagels and pizza bases – with the closest texture of any currently available wheat grain, Taylor said.

“[It was] close textured, strong, [with] not too many big holes, and not too many small holes – the right texture, and how our customers would expect to see products. In our trials, KWS Zyatt – although it was a lower protein – delivered the closest texture compared with any of the products we tested,” Taylor said, speaking at the KWS Industry Forum on March 21.

“If you’re a baker, and you’re trying to deliver quality every single day, that is worth something.”

Better quality product

Taylor’s claims were based on Rank Hovis Milling’s first successful milling and baking of KWS Zyatt in commercial quantities. The wheat grain was tested against all other currently available Group 1 milling varieties, including Skyfall and JB Diego, to find whether it provided a better quality product.

The grain was used to produce various types of bakery products.

“KWS Zyatt has been the only UK grain that’s tolerant to [the bagel-making] process, combined with the finished quality of product that our consumers want,” said Taylor. “That’s unique. Unique is good.

“The texture of bagels also shines through on bread. If I was backing a variety to deliver the quality I wanted, at the moment, I’d back KWS Zyatt ahead of the other grain types available.”

The ultimate test

The ultimate test for KWS Zyatt would be if it remained consistent over a number of years, Taylor said. While the grain performed particularly well in Rank Hovis Milling tests from 2016’s harvest, it might not provide as positive results after the next harvest, after UK crops experienced different growing conditions.

Meanwhile, KWS Zyatt was granted full Group 1 milling approval by the National Association of British and Irish Flour Millers (NABIM) last week (see video below).

NABIM trade policy manager Martin Savage said: “We’re pleased to see another high-yielding Group 1 grain, with excellent bread making potential, join the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board Recommended List.

“The results from our member companies confirmed it was a variety that performed well as a Group 1 and gave us the confidence to upgrade its recommendation from provisional to full. Consequently, we anticipate it will find broad market acceptance.”