Microstructural Studies of Gluten and a Hypothesis on Dough Formation

Authors

T. Amend, Universitat Munchen
H.-D. Belitz, Universitat Munchen

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Abstract

The transformation of a mixture of water and wheat flour into a viscoelastic dough was studied by light microscopy, scanning and transmission electron mi croscopy. In flour particles, gluten protein fills up the space between the starch granules forming a three- dimensional network. Dough formation is the result of the adhesion of the protein networks of individual flour particles to one another and their extension during kneading. In the course of the kneading process protein films form from the strands by bidirectional extension. The strands of the gluten network consist of randomly arranged protein threads which are twisted to form loops and knots in the unextended state. Bidirectional extension of the gluten pulls apart these knots to platelet- like forms .

Recommended Citation

Amend, T. and Belitz, H.-D. (1991) "Microstructural Studies of Gluten and a Hypothesis on Dough Formation," Food Structure: Vol. 10: No. 4, Article 1.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/foodmicrostructure/vol10/iss4/1