Interaction of wheat bran dietary fiber-gluten protein affects dough product: A critical review

Wheat bran dietary fiber (WBDF) is an emerging food additive used for improving the nutritional value of dough products, albeit its adverse effects cannot be ignored. The dilution effect, mechanical shear effect, competitive water absorption, and steric hindrance of WBDF, as well as the non-covalent binding between WBDF and gluten protein, are considered the key mechanisms underlying the WBDF–gluten protein interaction. However, current studies on the interaction are mostly limited to the impact of the interaction on gluten protein and are rarely focused on the quality of products. Therefore, the effects of the interaction on the structural characteristics and aggregation behavior of gluten protein and multiple involved mechanisms are discussed in this review. On this basis, these changes are systematically related to the gluten network structure, dough properties, and product quality. Mitigation measures corresponding to negative impacts also need to be elaborated to guide and standardize the production and development of dough products containing WBDF.