The impact of microwaves on wheat gluten structure.

Gluten, the heterogeneous mixture of wheat storage proteins, forms a strong three-dimensional network which contributes to the quality of many wheat-based foods. The study of changes in the gluten fraction during conventional heating indicated that the type and amount of cross-links formed between gluten proteins depends on reaction conditions, such as time, temperature, and pH. However, the impact of microwaves on wheat gluten structure is not well understood. For instance, it is not clear why bread which is baked in a microwave oven has a smaller volume and a more dense structure. Changes in the gluten fraction are suggested. This project aims a better insight in the impact of microwaves on the structure of wheat gluten, as a fundamental basis to improve microwave-baking of bread. To that end, model systems of wheat gluten will be heated in a conventional over on the one hand, and a microwave oven on the other hand. The, the impact of microwaves on gluten will be studied in more complex model systems, and a real system.

Keywords:Wheat, Heating, Gluten, Structure, Cross-linking, Water binding, Mricrowave

Disciplines:Food sciences and (bio)technology