INFLUENCE OF GLUTEN ON THE VISCOELASTIC PROPERTIES OF STARCH PASTES AND GELS

Viscoelastic properties of dispersions (60-300 g kg(-1)) of gluten (G) and wheat starch (S) blends (0 < G/S < 0.20) and wheat flour have bee n studied during heating and cooling. In both cases, the moduli follow ed power law relationships with concentration. The temperature at whic h the transient network development began, caused by granule-granule i nteractions, decreased as the concentration increased and increased wi th an increase in the proportion of gluten. Moreover, gluten weakened the strength of both starch pastes and gels, as shown by the lower val ues of the moduli. The viscoelastic behaviour of flour samples reflect ed the role played by internal lipids. A structural model is proposed in order to explain the influence of gluten on the rheological behavio ur of starch pastes and gels. (C) 1998 Society of Chemical Industry.