Accounting for environmental variation in the free asparagine content of wheat grain

The free (soluble, non-protein) asparagine content of wheat grain can vary massively due to environmental factors and agronomic differences in how the crop is grown. This is concerning because free asparagine concentration is the key determinant of acrylamide formation in wheat-based food products, yet it is not clear how different environmental conditions and some agronomic practices impact grain asparagine content. Here, we argue that a key aspect of keeping free asparagine levels low in wheat grain in the future lies in improving our understanding of the many environmental and crop management components that impact free asparagine accumulation during cultivation. We also consider the emerging technology of monitoring free asparagine accumulation through crop imaging.