Characteristics of dough prepared with coconut oil

Abstract Background and objectives This study investigated the use of coconut oil as an alternative to butter and shortening in bread making by analyzing the dough characteristics for feasibility. Findings In the fermentation test, the pH of the dough containing oils and fats was reduced to <5.1 of the threshold, which deteriorated the extensibility. The pH further decreased with an increased CO 2 emission rate from the dough. In the compression test, the stress of the dough containing oils and fats was lower than that without it. However, the stress on gluten‐containing oils and fats was significantly high and differed based on the type of oils and fats. A large network structure of gluten with distributed starch granules was observed using scanning electron microscopy in the dough containing oils and fats. Numerous starch granules were uniformly distributed in the spaces of the gluten network structure, making the dough softer. Conclusions It was recognized that the characteristics of the dough containing coconut oil were similar to that of the dough containing butter or shortening. Significance and novelty This study suggested that c oconut oil can be used as an alternative oil and fat to butter or shortening for bread making.