Addition of Vital Wheat Gluten to Enhance the Quality Characteristics of Frozen Dough Products

The Effect of Freeze-Thaw Cycles on the Microscopic Properties of Dumpling Wrappers

Dumplings are a traditional Chinese food welcomed by Chinese people. Research has indicated that process of quick-frozen wheat cultivars and their gliadins are all related to the quality and shelf-life of dumplings. Therefore, the effect of freeze-thaw cycles on the textural properties and microscopic characteristics of two types of quick-frozen dumpling wrappers (Zhaomai and Wenmai 19) and conformation of their gliadins were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy showed that Wenmai 19 dumpling wrappers had apparent damage after the first cycle, but Zhaomai wrappers did not reveal significant changes until the fourth cycle. The particle size distribution in the starch granules of Wenmai 19 wrappers varied in terms of mechanical damage, but Zhaomai delayed or avoided such effects. FT-IR found a loose protein structure of the gliadins. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that gliadins of Wenmai 19 degenerated more than those of Zhaomai. The crosslinking of gliadin and glutenin maintained a high-quality gluten network, thus protecting the gliadin stability from ice crystals. In turn, the gliadin maintained the strength of the gluten network. Therefore, raw flours with high-quality protein networks are more suitable for frozen dumplings. Freeze-thaw cycles dramatically decreased the textural characteristics of dumpling wrappers and the microscopic characteristics of their gliadin proteins. Concerning wheat cultivars with weak gluten, flours with high-quality protein networks are more suitable as raw materials for frozen dumplings.

Microcrystalline Cellulose Isolation and Impregnation with Sappan Wood Extracts as Antioxidant Dietary Fiber for Bread Preparation

Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) has gained considerable attention as a functional ingredient in bread making. This work demonstrates the isolation of MCC from sugar cane bagasse (SCB) for preparing bread. The effect of MCC on bread attributes and antioxidant activity by impregnation with sappan wood extract (SAP) was evaluated. The highest crystallinity index and suitable size of MCC were achieved at 85 °C under 90 min hydrolysis condition. Increasing MCC/SAP levels in bread showed a significant increase in bread color with decreases in the specific volume and baking loss. There was a positive correlation between bread texture and the MCC/SAP level. The addition of MCC/SAP interfered with the bread hardness. Low MCC/SAP levels have no effect on springiness and cohesiveness; however, 4% MCC/SAP has significantly decreased these attributes, with the highest antioxidant activity and phenolic content. Therefore, MCC can be functionalized with SAP as an antioxidant fiber additive for health benefits in bakery products.

Ultrasonic Treatment of Corn Starch to Improve the Freeze-Thaw Resistance of Frozen Model Dough and Its Application in Steamed Buns

Modification of corn starch using ultrasonic waves to improve its freeze-thaw resistance in frozen model doughs and buns. Analysis was performed by rheometry, low-field-intensity nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, Fourier infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the addition of ultrasonically modified corn starch reduced the migration of water molecules inside the model dough, weakened the decrease of elastic modulus, and enhanced the creep recovery effect; the decrease in α-helical and β-fold content in the model dough was reduced, the destruction of internal network structure was decreased, the exposed starch granules were reduced, and the internal interaction of the dough was enhanced; the texture of the buns became softer and the moisture content increased. In conclusion, ultrasound as a physical modification means can significantly improve the freeze-thaw properties of corn starch, providing new ideas for the development and quality improvement of corn-starch-based instant frozen pasta products.

A combined use of different functional additives for improvement of wheat flour quality for bread making

BACKGROUND

Low-protein wheat flour can produce bread with poor texture and appearance, reducing its nutritional value and market appeal. This is a growing concern for both the food industry and consumers relying on wheat as a dietary staple. The present study evaluated the individual and combined effects of bacterial xylanase (BX), maltogenic α-amylase (MG), vital gluten (VG) and ascorbic acid (AA) with respect to improving weak flour properties for bread making.

RESULTS

BX, VG and AA improved gluten Index (GI), whereas MG was employed for optimizing amylolytic-activity in flour. VG increased the water absorption (WA) capacity of flour and prolonged dough development time (DDT). The dough stability (DST) was increased by BX and VG. BX and MG decreased crumb firmness (CF) and showed anti-staling effect. All additives reduced bake loss, increased loaf volume (LV) and retained or improved sensory attributes of bread. However, MG at 60 mg kg-1 (MG60), BX at 30 mg kg-1 (BX30), VG at 5% (VG5) and AA at 50 mg kg-1 (AA50) were found to be the most suitable for evaluating in combinations. Ternary combinations of MG60, BX30, VG5 or AA50 imparted significantly (P < 0.05) positive impacts on GI, WA, DDT, DST, CF, LV and sensory attributes compared to control, individual and binary combinations.

CONCLUSION

The PCA suggested that a combination of MG60 + VG5 was more similar to MG60 + BX30 + VG5, whereas, MG60 + BX30 and MG60 + AA50 were more related to MG60 + BX30 + AA50 combination, but all of these combinations showed the improvement in the characteristics compared to control flour. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of Tea Polyphenols on the Storage Stability of Non-Fermented Frozen Dough: Protein Structures and State of Water

The usage of tea polyphenols (TPs) as a natural food additive into non-fermented frozen dough (NFFD) has rarely been investigated, and results have been controversial. Hence, this study investigated the effect of TPs at various levels (0, 0.5, 1, and 2%) on the quality of NFFD stored from 0 to 4 weeks. The rheological characteristics, water state, protein, and its microstructure were analyzed by DSC, LF-NMR, SDS-PAGE, FT-IR, and SEM, respectively. Results showed that the 0.5% TP group delayed the deterioration of protein and inhibited the water migration in dough throughout the whole frozen storage period. In addition, the 0.5% TP group enhanced the rheological properties of NFFD and stabilized the sulfhydryl content and the secondary structure in the gluten network. On the contrary, opposite phenomena were found in the 1 and 2% TP groups, which might be due to the induction of excess hydroxyl groups from TPs. In conclusion, our results suggested that a proper addition of TPs, but not an excessive amount (>1%), exhibited beneficial effects in maintaining the quality of NFFD during the 4-week frozen storage. Moreover, this paper elucidated the mechanism of TPs in influencing the protein structure and water state of NFFD during storage and provided new insight into its application in dough-based foods.

The realm of plant proteins with focus on their application in developing new bakery products

Plant proteins are spreading due to growing environmental, health and ethical concerns related to animal proteins. Proteins deriving from cereals, oilseeds, and pulses are witnessing a sharp growth showing a wide spectrum of applications from meat and fish analogues to infant formulations. Bakery products are one of the biggest markets of alternative protein applications for functional and nutritional motives. Fortifying bakery products with proteins can secure a better amino-acids profile and a higher protein intake. Conventional plant proteins (i.e., wheat and soy) dominate the bakery industry, but emerging sources (i.e., pea, chickpea, and faba) are also gaining traction. Each protein brings specific functional properties and nutritional value. Therefore, this chapter gives an overview of the main features of plant proteins and discusses their impact on the quality of bakery products.

Non-animal proteins as cutting-edge ingredients to reformulate animal-free foodstuffs: Present status and future perspectives

Consumer interest in protein rich diets is increasing, with more attention being paid to the protein source. Despite the occurrence of animal proteins in the human diet, non-animal proteins are gaining popularity around the world due to their health benefits, environmental sustainability, and ethical merit. These sources of protein qualify for vegan, vegetarian, and flexitarian diets. Non-animal proteins are versatile, derived mainly from cereals, vegetables, pulses, algae (seaweed and microalgae), fungi, and bacteria. This review's intent is to analyze the current and future direction of research and innovation in non-animal proteins, and to elucidate the extent (limitations and opportunities) of their applications in food and beverage industries. Prior knowledge provided relevant information on protein features (processing, structure, and techno-functionality) with particular focus on those derived from soy and wheat. In the current food landscape, beyond conventionally used plant sources, other plant proteins are gaining traction as alternative ingredients to formulate animal-free foodstuffs (e.g., meat alternatives, beverages, baked products, snack foods, and others). Microbial proteins derived from fungi and algae are also food ingredients of interest due to their high protein quantity and quality, however there is no commercial food application for bacterial protein yet. In the future, key points to consider are the importance of strain/variety selection, advances in extraction technologies, toxicity assessment, and how this source can be used to create food products for personalized nutrition.

Is Gluten the Only Culprit for Non-Celiac Gluten/Wheat Sensitivity?

The gluten-free diet (GFD) has gained increasing popularity in recent years, supported by marketing campaigns, media messages and social networks. Nevertheless, real knowledge of gluten and GF-related implications for health is still poor among the general population. The GFD has also been suggested for non-celiac gluten/wheat sensitivity (NCG/WS), a clinical entity characterized by intestinal and extraintestinal symptoms induced by gluten ingestion in the absence of celiac disease (CD) or wheat allergy (WA). NCG/WS should be regarded as an "umbrella term" including a variety of different conditions where gluten is likely not the only factor responsible for triggering symptoms. Other compounds aside from gluten may be involved in the pathogenesis of NCG/WS. These include fructans, which are part of fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs), amylase trypsin inhibitors (ATIs), wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and glyphosate. The GFD might be an appropriate dietary approach for patients with self-reported gluten/wheat-dependent symptoms. A low-FODMAP diet (LFD) should be the first dietary option for patients referring symptoms more related to FODMAPs than gluten/wheat and the second-line treatment for those with self-reported gluten/wheat-related symptoms not responding to the GFD. A personalized approach, regular follow-up and the help of a skilled dietician are mandatory.

Effect of wheat flour with different quality in the process of making flour products

All kinds of flour products which are made of wheat flour have already become the staple food on people's dining table. With the improvement of living standard, the quality requirements for the flour products have gradually improved. In addition to the production technique, the quality of wheat flour as the raw material is also very important for the quality of flour products. This paper briefly introduced wheat flour and two main components that affected its quality: starch and protein. Then, the related quality of starch and protein and the quality of corresponding flour products were tested for five kinds of wheat flour. The experimental results showed that the quality indexes of five kinds of wheat flour were obviously different and representative. The regression analysis on the quality data of wheat flour and flour products showed that the water absorption of flour decreased with the increase of total starch content, dry gluten content and gluten index, the water solubility of flour decreased with the increase of total starch content and gluten index and increased with the increase of ratio of amylose to amylopectin, and the radial expansion rate of the flour products decreased with the increase of wet gluten content. To sum up, the quality of wheat flour will affect the water absorption, water solubility and radial expansion rate of flour products in the production process.

Nonceliac Gluten and Wheat Sensitivity

Non-celiac gluten and/or wheat sensitivity (NCGS) is thought to be an immune-mediated reaction to gluten or other components of wheat (eg, fructans or amylase trypsin inhibitors) with intestinal and extraintestinal symptoms which improve once gluten and/or wheat is eliminated from the diet and after a diagnosis of celiac disease and wheat allergy have been excluded with appropriate testing. However, there is a great deal of skepticism within the scientific community questioning the existence of NCGS as a distinct clinical disorder. There are no strict diagnostic criteria and a placebo-controlled rechallenge trial has been recommended for diagnosis. In research settings, a double-blind placebo-controlled rechallenge trial has been recommended for diagnosis. There are limited studies estimating the prevalence of NCGS using this study design. The existing studies have variable results likely due to the lack of a uniform diagnostic criterion, a great deal of dependence on the patient's perception of symptoms and a large nocebo effect in existing studies. In clinical practice, a single blind placebo-controlled rechallenge trial has been recommended for diagnosis. The pathogenesis of NCGS is unclear and there is no known biomarker or diagnostic histologic lesion for this condition. It is important to adopt a multidisciplinary team approach to patients with suspected NCGS with involvement of the primary care doctor, gastroenterologist, pathologist and nutritionist who may play an important role in diagnosis and treatment. There may especially be a role in elimination of food containing high quantity of both gluten and fructans. Furthermore, patients should be educated on the nutritional implications of consuming a long-term gluten-free diet.