Classification of starch-gluten networks into a viscoelastic liquid or solid, based on rheological aspects - A review

A material structure determines its processing and product characteristics. Therefore, knowledge on the exact network character is also important in the case of wheat dough to control the process and the product quality. However, the high complexity of wheat dough makes the exact description of the network structure difficult. Several network models, which propose to transfer the observations resulting from rheological or microscopic measurements into structural relationships, exist. This review summarizes the classification features suitable for the characterization of polymer systems, especially food systems, present their typical properties, and verify transferability to wheat dough systems. Thereby, the ambivalent character of dough to behave as solid and liquid becomes evident. As with every polymer network, filler particles have a significant impact on the mechanical properties. Even if the particle content in dough is much higher than the percolation threshold that normally limits the filler usage in reinforced rubbery systems, the general effects of filler particles on the mechanical behavior are also applicable for dough systems.