The aggregation characteristics of gluten proteins in whole wheat steamed buns at different thermal treatment temperature: An insight from dietary fiber

The consumption of whole wheat steamed buns is increasing year by year. However, the taste quality of whole wheat steamed buns is difficult to be controlled during heat processing because it is rich in dietary fiber (DF) and other elements. Compound agents have attracted widespread attention for their effective improvement of the quality of baked products, but their application in steamed flour products is relatively limited. Therefore, this paper explored the effect of DF combined with compound starter on the aggregation characteristics of wheat gluten protein in whole wheat dough during heat processing, in order to find ways to improve the quality characteristics of whole wheat steamed buns. Research has found that chemical leavening (60-80 °C) increases the unfolding degree of gluten protein and improves the elasticity of dough. The addition of DF delayed the stretching of the gluten network caused by chemical leavening. The hardness and pH value of the dough reached their lowest values at 40 °C, which were 796.90 N and 4.95. At 100 °C, the hardness of the dough gradually increases to 4123.45 N and is elastic. The hydrogen bonding of gluten protein gradually increases during the heating process, and it increases with the increase of whole wheat flour (WWF). WWF promoted the thermal aggregation of gluten protein, improved its thermal stability, and stabilized the electrostatic interactions within the system. Correlation analysis demonstrated that the texture characteristics of the dough were significantly correlated with the gluten protein. These results provide a reference for the processing technology of whole wheat steamed buns.