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The need to produce wheat with low asparagine concentration is of great importance as a measure to mitigate acrylamide concentration in wheat-based products. The association of asparagine concentration in Canadian bread wheat with cultivar, growing location, fertilizer and their interaction were investigated. Wheat cultivars (8) were grown in 2 locations under 4 fertilizer treatments in triplicate (which consisted of two nitrogen rates (90 or 120 lbs/acre) with or without 15 lbs sulphur per acre). The asparagine concentration ranged from 168.9 to 1050 µg/g and was significantly affected by cultivar, location, and their interaction but not fertilizer treatment. Location and cultivar were responsible for 80% and 14% of the variation, respectively. Some cultivars were not affected by location and maintained their low asparagine accumulation trait. Thus, breeding strategies should aim to identify cultivars that are low asparagine accumulating and are stable across different growing environments., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

A rapid, reliable, and user-friendly method that does not require complex sample preparation and sophisticated instrumentation will fulfill an emerging demand for free asparagine (ASN) analysis to ascertain acrylamide-related food safety issues in baked cereal products. This study validated a new method for wheat free asparagine analysis by comparing a rapid enzymatic test with two established analytical methods: UPLC and 1H-NMR using asparagine standards and whole-wheat flours with a range of free asparagine concentrations. For method validation, various quality parameters were assessed, including accuracy, precision, and sensitivity. Experimental and time costs associated with the analyses were estimated. The rapid test method had consistent accuracy, excellent precision of 1.0 or less (CV%), good sensitivity (0.0389 AU L mg−1) of free asparagine signal detection, and the least cost for experimental materials and instrument usage. A strong correlation (r = 0.997) between the results generated by the rapid enzymatic test and the UPLC method for free ASN quantification in whole-wheat flour was obtained. Overall, the rapid test method is recommended for ASN analysis in simple laboratory environments or in industrial applications. [Display omitted] • Free asparagine continues to be a marker for acrylamide risks in wheat supply chain. • A rapid novel enzymatic test for free asparagine quantification is introduced. • Enzymatic test compares well with two established but more complicated methods. • Method is apt for applying practical steps to reduce acrylamide in wheat supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]