CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Abstract The aim of this work was to study the effect ofcalcium (Ca) carbonate-inulin (In) systems on hydration andrheological properties of wheat flour dough. Wheat flour, Cacarbonate from 108 to 252 (mg Ca/100 g flour) content, andenriched In oligofructose at levels of 1% to 13% (flour basis),were used. Hydration dough properties were researchedanalyzing water absorption (Wabs), moisture content (Mcont),water activity (aw), and relaxation time (λ). Wabs and awdecreased with increasing In levels independently of Cacontent. Dough development time increased with the amountof Ca. In the presence of In, samples with the lowest contentof Ca were those showing the highest development timevalues. Inulin was the main component that controled Wabs indough. In the presence of CaCO3, although water seemed tobe in a free state according to the high aw value measured(>0.975), the low value of relaxation time obtained suggestsless molecular mobility. Rheological properties of doughwere studied by texture, relaxation, and viscoelasticityassays. Dough hardness and consistency significantly increasedwith Ca and mainly with In content. At high Incontent, dough texture was enhanced by CaCO3 due to thefact that this salt could behave as dough strengthener.Adhesiveness of dough was not modified by CaCO3 at lowIn levels. However, Ca affected adhesiveness at intermediateIn levels. Adhesiveness was significantly increased by Inpresence. Calcium and In both diminished dough cohesiveness.The In presence increased dough elasticity, independentlyof Ca content. A second-order polynomial model andresponse surface methodology were used for studyinghydration dependence and rheological parameters (R2>0.771) on Ca and In. Dough Mcont varied with In2 andmainly inversely proportional to In. An inverse dependenceof λ on In was detected. Dynamic and relaxation elasticmoduli (G′ and E3) showed a linear dependence on In.