Impact of microwave- and far-infrared-assisted acid modification on the structure and functional properties of...

Gluten-free corn dough suffers from a significant imbalance between mechanical strength and ductility, a fundamental limitation stemming from the lack of a continuous gluten network. In this study, zein was modified through synergistic microwave-assisted acid and far-infrared-assisted acid treatments to produce high-quality gluten-free corn dough. Compared to the control, the far-infrared-assisted acid modified dough demonstrated a 144% increase in β-sheet content, a 109 - fold rise in storage modulus, a 90.70% enhancement in hardness, and a 19.95% elevation in thermal denaturation peak temperature. These enhancements were attributed to the synergistic effects of disulfide cross-linking and non-covalent interactions (hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions), achieving an optimal balance between strength and ductility with a maximum tensile elongation of 49.70 mm. Furthermore, the microwave-assisted acid modified sample exhibited favorable tensile strength that satisfies the practical requirements for baking. This research presents a straightforward, feasible, and effective strategy for developing high-performance gluten-free cereal products.