Wheat flour enriched with oat β-glucan: A study of hydration, rheological and fermentation properties of dough

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the incorporation of oat beta-glucan (O beta G) on the hydration, rheological and fermentation properties of wheat flour dough. Wheat flour was substituted with O beta G at levels varying from 1 g/100 g-5 g/100 g. The addition of O beta G significantly increased water absorption and dough development time. The dilution effect of O beta G, competing for water and interaction between O beta G and gluten proteins, deteriorated the gluten network structure and reduced the stability of dough. Rheological evaluation revealed an increasing tendency to solid-like behavior with increasing addition of O beta G. Regarding dough fermentation properties, O beta G had no effect on yeast activity but reduced the gas retention capacity of dough. Our findings indicate that O beta G is a key component that determines the properties of dough, and excess O beta G exhibited poorer processing characteristics compared with control. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.