Wheat flour enriched with oat β-glucan: A study of hydration, rheological and fermentation properties of dough

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the incorporation of oat β-glucan (OβG) on the hydration, rheological and fermentation properties of wheat flour dough. Wheat flour was substituted with OβG at levels varying from 1 g/100 g-5 g/100 g. The addition of OβG significantly increased water absorption and dough development time. The dilution effect of OβG, competing for water and interaction between OβG and gluten proteins, deteriorated the gluten network structure and reduced the stability of dough. Rheological evaluation revealed an increasing tendency to solid-like behavior with increasing addition of OβG. Regarding dough fermentation properties, OβG had no effect on yeast activity but reduced the gas retention capacity of dough. Our findings indicate that OβG is a key component that determines the properties of dough, and excess OβG exhibited poorer processing characteristics compared with control.