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Effect of Hydrocolloids on Water Absorption of Wheat Flour and Farinograph and Textural Characteristics of Dough

¹CIDCA-Fac. de Cs. Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 47 y 116 (1900) La Plata, Pcia. Buenos Aires, Argentina. ²Fac. de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 60 y119 (1900), La Plata, Argentina. ³Corresponding author. Phone and Fax: +54+221+4254853. E-mail: cferrero@biol.unlp.edu.ar

The effect of hydrocolloids addition (0, 25, or 1.5 g/100 g of flour) on water absorption of flour and their influence on dough rheology were analyzed. The influence of guar gum (GG), xanthan gum (XG), high-methoxyl pectin (P), locust bean gum (LBG), and a 1:1 mixture of locust bean gum and xanthan gum (LBG+XG) on water absorption was tested by different techniques including farinograph water absorption, water imbibing capacity, SDS sedimentation test, and sucrose solvent retention capacity. The rheological behavior was analyzed through the farinograph parameters and texture profile analysis (TPA). Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to evaluate the behavior of the different mixtures. Absorption values obtained by different methods were increased by XG and LBG+XG addition, particularly at the highest levels (1–1.5%). Flour-P mixtures showed the lowest absorption. GG-added mixtures led to the more stable doughs and P to the less stable ones. Addition of NaCl increased stability in all cases. According to TPA, softer and less cohesive doughs than control were obtained when hydrocolloids were added, both in conditions of water availability and water restriction (except for XG and GG at the highest levels). However, when enough water was added, more variation in textural attributes among doughs could be observed by PCA. No remarkable differences compared with the control were observed in the gluten network, as evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. Hydrocolloid incorporation led to rheological changes in dough; the trend and degree of this effect was affected by the amount of water added and the structure and concentration of the hydrocolloid.