Ultrasonic cavitation pretreatment of batter: A mechanism for optimizing dough properties

In this study, a novel ultrasonic pretreatment of batter (UPB) was investigated prior to dough mixing to enhance bread dough quality through the effects of ultrasound-induced cavitation in liquids. The findings demonstrated that UPB increased protein hydration and significantly influenced the transformation of disordered structural β-folding (characterized by weak hydrogen bonding) into more ordered structures (inter- and intramolecular β-folding). Additionally, UPB enhanced disulfide bonding within the dough. Mechanistic investigations revealed that the cavitation effect of UPB intensified over time, leading to increased iodine release and protein aggregation. UPB facilitated the formation of additional peptide chains composed of amino acid residues containing oxygen and nitrogen, enabling the sulfhydryl groups of cysteine side chains to react with more free radicals and form additional disulfide bonds. These findings suggest that UPB holds significant promise as a green physical modification technology for improving wheat flour products, warranting further exploration for industrial-scale application.