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Effect of L-Ascorbic Acid and Superoxide Anion Radical on the Rheological Properties of Wheat Flour-Water Dough

¹Yamazaki Baking CO, LTD. 3-15-6 Chitose, Sumida-ku, Tokyo 130, Japan. Corresponding author. ²Institute of Environmental Science for Human Life, Ochanomizu University. 2-1-1 Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112, Japan.

L-Ascorbic acid (AsA) plays an important role in the rheological properties of bread dough and as an improver. Addition of AsA and iron, as heavy metal ions, affected the rheological properties, especially hardness of flour-water dough prepared under aerobic conditions. Addition of both AsA and iron increased the hardness of regular flour-water dough as compared with control dough; using oxygen-saturated water further increased the dough hardness. Dough mixed with AsA under nitrogen gas showed significantly decreased dough hardness when compared with dough mixed with AsA under air. The improved effect of AsA on dough hardness may be due to oxygen radicals generated during AsA oxidation. The effect of the superoxide anion radical (O₂^-) on dough hardness was examined by using both O₂^- scavenging and O₂^- generating systems. In an O₂^- generating system (xanthine and xanthine oxidase), dough hardness increased. In an O₂^- scavenging system (superoxide dismutase and catalase), dough hardness was similar to that of the control. It was strongly indicated that hardness of dough containing AsA was much influenced by the O₂^- generated in the oxidation process of AsA.