Endogenous gliadin/glutenin fractions regulate the short/long-term retrogradation behavior of starch-gluten gels

This study explored composite gels' structural properties and short/long-term retrogradation behavior by varying ratios of wheat starch to gluten and gliadin to glutenin. The results showed that as the proportion of gluten increased, the degree of order and crystalline conformation was lost, manifested by an increase in the gel network's porosity and protein aggregation. The dilution effect of gluten on starch and the water competition significantly reduced the viscosity and elasticity of the system, and the ratio of glu75-gli25 had the most significant impact on the viscoelasticity. During 30 d of storage, the hydration of gliadin with glutenin resulted in tight binding of the gel with hydrogen protons, which reduced water migration, effectively retarded the retrogradation behavior, and maintained a suitable hardness (2.59 N-5.39 N) and acceptable color. The above findings indicated that gliadin demonstrated favorable water-locking ability and effectively prevented starch's long-term retrogradation.