Heat-induced polymerization behavior variation of frozen-stored gluten

Effects of thermal properties and behavior of wheat starch and gluten on their interaction: A review

Starch and gluten, the most important macromolecules in wheat flour, vary in thermal properties. The thermal behavior of starch, gluten and their complexes during the manufacture and quality control of flour products need to be accurately understood. However, the high complexity of starch-gluten systems impedes the accurate description of their interactions. When heated within varying temperature ranges and when water molecules are involved, the behaviors of amylose and amylopectin change, and the properties of the starch are modified. Moreover, important indicators of starch granules such as gelatinization temperature, peak viscosity, and so on, which are encapsulated by the gluten matrix, are altered. Meanwhile, the high-temperature environment induces the opening of the intrachain disulfide bonds of gliadin, leading to an increase in the probability of interchain disulfide bond formation in the gluten network system. These behaviors are notable and may provide insights into this complex interaction. In this review, the relationship between the thermal behavior of wheat starch and gluten and the quality of flour products is analyzed. Several methods used to investigate the thermal characteristics of wheat and its flour products are summarized, and some thermal interaction models of starch and gluten are proposed.

Interactions between gluten and water-unextractable arabinoxylan during the thermal treatment

This study aimed to investigate the interactions between gluten and water-unextractable arabinoxylan (WUAX), which changed the conformation and aggregation of gluten during the thermal treatment. In this work, the interactions between water-unextractable arabinoxylan and wheat gluten during thermal treatment were extensively evaluated by different techniques. The results showed that the extra WUAX could impair the viscoelasticity as well as weaken the thermal properties of gluten. The fluorescence spectra revealed the extra WUAX changed the conformation of gluten molecules. Besides, chemical interaction measurement indicated that the extra WUAX prevented the formation of partial disulfide bonds and had a major effect on the hydrophobic interaction of gluten. In summary, these results indicated that WUAX disrupted the covalent crosslinking by affecting disulfide bonds between gluten proteins, and dominated the folding/unfolding process of gluten via the competition with gluten for water, resulting in the poor quality of whole wheat-based foods.

Influence of ε-poly-l-lysine treated yeast on gluten polymerization and freeze-thaw tolerance of frozen dough

The effects of ε-poly-l-lysine (ε-PL) treated yeast on gluten polymerization of frozen dough and quality of steamed bread after freeze-thaw cycles were investigated. Compared with steamed bread made from frozen dough containing ε-PL and untreated yeast (PUTY) or only untreated yeast, steamed bread made from frozen dough containing ε-PL treated yeast (PTY) had a larger specific volume, lower hardness and more porous. A dynamic rheological and scanning electron microscopic analysis demonstrated that using PTY instead of yeast could reduce dough elasticity and damage protein network after freeze-thaw cycles. Lower sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) soluble polymeric proteins and monomeric proteins, and higher SDS insoluble proteins were found in frozen dough containing PTY, which indicates a reduced depolymerization of gluten proteins after freeze-thaw cycles. After 4 freeze-thaw cycles, the lower glutathione and free sulfhydryl in dough containing PTY indicate that the interchain disulfide bonds between proteins were preserved.

Persimmon tannin changes the properties and the morphology of wheat gluten by altering the cross-linking, and the secondary structure in a dose-dependent manner

The effects of persimmon tannin (PT) on the texture, viscoelasticity, thermal stability, and morphology of gluten were studied and the underlying mechanisms were also explored. The results showed that PT increased the hardness and viscoelasticity but lowered the cohesiveness and extensibility of gluten in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, PT increased the denaturation temperature and enthalpy of gluten, and induced the formation of gluten with compact structure. High concentration of PT (8%) significantly increased the hardness and viscoelasticity of gluten, and induced the formation of compact structure of gluten by disturbing the conformation of gluten, and interfering gluten cross-linking through decreasing disulfide bonds, free sulfydryl groups, and free amino groups. In contrast, low concentration (0.25%) of PT slightly altered the gluten properties and morphology. Our work extended the study on the supplementation of phenolic compounds in wheat flour-based products.

Influence of Konjac Glucomannan and Frozen Storage on Rheological and Tensile Properties of Frozen Dough

The impact of various amounts of konjac glucomannan on the structural and physicochemical properties of gluten proteins/dough at different periods of frozen storage is evaluated in the present study. As frozen storage time was prolonged, the molecular weight and the free sulfhydryl content of gluten proteins and the tensile properties of frozen dough all decreased. The addition of konjac glucomannan reduced the variations in the structural and rheological properties of gluten proteins/dough. Frozen dough with 2.5% added konjac glucomannan showed the highest water binding capacity and retarded the migration of water. Scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry results also revealed that adding konjac glucomannan reduced the cracks and holes in the dough and enhanced its thermal stability. The correlations between mechanical characteristics and structure parameters further indicated that konjac glucomannan could not only stabilize the structures of gluten proteins but also bind free water to form more stable complexes, thereby retaining the rheological and tensile properties of the frozen dough.

Comparative Study on the Bread Making Quality of Normoxia- and Hypoxia-Germinated Wheat: Evolution of γ-Aminobutyric Acid, Starch Gelatinization, and Gluten Polymerization during Steamed Bread Making

To explore the bread making characteristics of germinated wheat flour, the current study focused on the componential evolution throughout the steamed bread making process. Hypoxia-germinated wheat (HGW) dough produced the maximum γ-aminobutyric acid as a result of high glutamic acid decarboxylase activity during fermentation compared to normoxia-germinated wheat (NGW) and sound wheat (SW). HGW was superior to NGW in terms of rheological properties and restored the organoleptic characteristics as SW bread. Blocking of α-amylase activity and protein polymerization demonstrated that the decline in pasting and gelation properties was not caused by changes in intrinsic starch and protein properties. Polymerization of α- and γ-gliadin to glutenin was facilitated in germinated wheat bread, while the cross-linking degree of glutenin-gliadin was suppressed. In comparison to NGW bread, more high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits but less α-gliadin fractions polymerized upon steaming of HGW dough. Results demonstrate that HGW has great potential to be exploited as a nutritious functional ingredient for wheat-based food.