Résumé
The Expert Working Group (EWG) on Improving Wheat Quality for Processing and Health of theWheat Initiative, established in 2015, aimed to maintain/improve the quality of high-yielding wheatunder varying environmental conditions. This EWG focuses on wheat quality in the broad sense,including grain compositional factors (proteins, allergens, carbohydrates), nutritional quality, grainprocessing, food safety, genetic resources and gene nomenclature as shown in Figure1. The EWGalso promotes the sharing of genetic resources and the standardisation of nomenclature of genesrelated to grain quality. The first meeting of the EWG was hold in Paris in 2016, with 31 researchersfrom 18 countries. We are working on the following globally important topics: (i) standardisingmethods to determine gluten protein composition, while unifying the nomenclature to define allelicdiversity of gluten proteins, and improve the understanding of the role of gluten proteins on doughprocessing and end-product properties; (ii) germplasm screening for the identification of sources ofvariation for various quality component traits; (iii) a deep understanding of the inheritance andgenetic factors controlling te bioavailability of grain bioactive compounds, including micronutrientsand dietary fibre, to improve the nutritional and health value of wheat and cereal-based foods; (iv)a deep understanding of the nature and content of proteins and other factors, such as fermentableoligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs) of wheat showingnegative effects on health and toxic reactions and developing low-allergen and low FODMAP wheatsuitable for patients suffering various wheat related food disorders; (v) understanding the effects offood manufacturing processes on the digestibility of wheat proteins, bio-availability of nutrients,and the interaction with gut micro-organisms; (vi) fine-tuning gluten, starch properties and grainhardness according to specific (and diverse) end-uses by understandinggenotype × environment × management interactions; (vii) reducing mycotoxins and toxic mineralsin wheat and wheat products; (viii) development of low cost biomarkers for the above determinantsof wheat quality and safety.