In bread, NaCl plays a number of roles including improving flavor, functionality, dough handling, and prevention of sticky dough. Its reduction can create significant processing challenges. As such, the dough handling properties for four wheat cultivars (Pembina, Roblin, McKenzie, and Harvest) were investigated as a function of NaCl (0-4%) level. In terms of dough rheology, both cultivar and NaCl level were significant factors. The maximum deformation (Jmax ) in the dough decreased with increasing NaCl levels, indicating that the gluten network became stronger so that it was able to resist the imposed stress. For extensibility, increasing the levels of NaCl resulted in increased resistance to extension for all cultivars. Dough stickiness was shown to be both cultivar and salt level dependent, with weaker cultivars showing higher stickiness. Findings for water association indicated that with the addition of NaCl there was less free water among the different cultivars and an increase in the water associated with the starch-fraction. Dough morphology measurements supported rheology trends; the stronger dough producing cultivars created more elongated protein polymers with a unidirectional network whereas the weaker cultivars created porous multidirectional networks. Overall, Pembina and Roblin formed stronger gluten networks than McKenzie and Harvest, however, the effect of NaCl level was shown to be cultivar dependent. Findings indicate that careful cultivar selection will help mitigate challenges in dough handling within a reduced NaCl environment.
Keywords: bread; dough morphology; gluten network; rheology; sodium reduction; sticky dough phenomenon; water properties.
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