Abstract
The interplay between wheat flour composition and mixing conditions required for achieving gluten network development is addressed here. Dough mixing tests were carried out on a planetary mixer using a wide range of water content (68-125 mL per 100 g of flour), mixing speed (50-110 rpm) and flour types. A model predicting dough development time (ddt) from the specific mixing power input (Pw(sp), J.s(-1).kg(-1)) was established, whatever the details of mixing conditions (dough water content, mixing speed or mechanical energy input). It involves two intrinsic flour parameters: flour's energy demand and specific critical power (respectively Ef and Pw(sp)* with ddt = Ef/[Pw(sp) - Pw(sp)*]). Amongst several flour biochemical features, only the proportion in unextractable glutenin polymers in total glutenin polymers (UPP) was found correlated with Ef and Pw(sp)*. Dough supplementation with thiol/disulfide interfering chemicals, as well as addition of a pause at the beginning of mixing lowered Pw(sp)* From the findings of the study, gluten network development is hypothesized to rely on the mechanical activation of "stress bearing" bonds of different nature, namely interchains disulfide- and Hydrogen-bonds.