Rheological properties and microstructure of xylanase containing whole wheat bread dough.

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Understanding the rheological properties of whole wheat bread dough is crucial for optimizing baking processes.
• Enzymes like xylanase can modify dough structure and texture, potentially improving bread quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of xylanase from Penicillium citrinum on the rheological behavior and textural properties of whole wheat bread dough.
• To evaluate the visco-elastic properties and structural characteristics of dough treated with xylanase.

Main Methods:

• Rheological measurements including oscillatory tests, creep measurements, and steady-state flow experiments.
• Assessment of dough textural properties using penetration tests and extensibility rigs (Kieffer and gluten extensibility).
• Microstructural analysis of lyophilized dough using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).

Main Results:

• Xylanase treatment altered the visco-elastic properties of whole wheat dough.
• Dynamic moduli of both control and xylanase-treated dough fitted well to Power law and weak gel models.
• Peleg and six-element Kelvin models effectively described the creep behavior of xylanase-treated dough.
• Microstructural analysis revealed changes in dough structure upon xylanase treatment.

Conclusions:

• Xylanase enzyme significantly influences the rheological and textural attributes of whole wheat bread dough.
• The study provides insights into the mechanism by which xylanase modifies dough structure and performance.
• Findings suggest potential applications of Penicillium citrinum xylanase in improving bread-making processes.