The hexaploid tritordeum (Tritordeum Ascherson et Graebner) (Figure 1), is the fertile amphiploid (2n=6x=42, AABBHchHch) resulting from the cross between a wild barley (Hordeum chilense) and durum wheat (Triticum turgidum Desf) (1). The agronomic, morphological, chemical, physico-chemical and rheological characteristics of this new crop, similar to bread wheat, indicate that tritordeum is a promising cereal for agriculture and food processing (2). Moreover, there is a huge genetic variability available for breeding this new crop as a consequence of the synthesis of hundreds of different amphiploids, becoming tritordeum a potentially donor of useful traits to wheat. Previous studies (3), carried out in our laboratories, have demonstrated that lutein is the major carotenoide present in tritordeum lines, and at much higher concentration (more than 5 times) than in durum wheat, which suggests a high potential of this crop to become a functional food. In addition, it was found that in the case of tritordeum, lutein shows a characteristic esterification with fatty acids, which is absent or at very low levels in durum wheat grains. In the present study, the effect of storage of grains (temperature and time) on the carotenoid content of three advanced tritordeum lines and three commercial durum wheat varieties has been investigated. The role of esterification on the stability of lutein is also discussed.

This work was supported by the Project AGL2007-60092/ALI, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Spanish Government) and by the Project P08-AGR3477, Consejería de Economía, Innovación y Ciencia (Junta de Andalucía).