Effect of transglutaminase and ascorbic acid on the properties of dough and bread made from low quality flour

Abstract

During the last decade, considerable decline in the quality of wheat has been observed as the consequence of mixed interrelations among many factors: varietal potential, climatic and agro technical growing conditions. The most common deficiency is manifested as impaired attributes of gluten complex which contributes to deterioration of dough rheological properties (lowering of gas retention in the dough) and causes low volume and inadequate texture in the product. In this work, low quality wheat flour (type 500) was used (extensigraph area i.e. flour energy 33 cm2, resistance to extension 130 B.U., amylograph peak viscosity 300 B.U.) which reflected the average quality of flour obtained over the last years. Two doses of transglutaminase (15 and 30 mg/kg flour) and two doses of ascorbic acid (50 and 100 mg/kg flour) individually and in combination were used in breadmaking. The results showed that the addition of higher transglutaminase and ascorbic acid dose in combination improved dough resistance to extension and retention volume of CO2 whereas the specific volume of bread was increased by 37.5% as compared to the control bread.