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The purpose of the current study was to investigate the influence of wheat flour treated with lab‐scale superheated steam on the batter characteristics and cake quality. Superheated steam treatment (SST) significantly decreased the density and viscosity of cake batter, indicating that the treated samples contained more air bubbles in the batter system. This result also was confirmed by a light microscope. Following SST, treated samples exhibited a lower apparent viscosity compared to native samples, decreasing both the consistency index and flow behavior index. Meanwhile, SST increased the storage modulus (G′), while it decreased both the loss modulus (G′′) and loss tangent (tanδ). These changes in the batter properties influenced the quality of the final cake products. After baking the batters, the treated samples produced cakes with less baking loss and higher volume and quality compared to the native samples. The internal texture exhibited higher porosity and cell density, increasing from 22.9% and 50.3 cells/cm2 (untreated flour) to 35.6% and 65.1 cells/cm2 (flour treated at 150 °C for 4 min), respectively. In addition, SST significantly decreased the hardness of the cake, thereby endowing the final products with a softer texture. The results of the present work may be useful for improving the commercial production of high‐quality cakes. Practical applications: This research provides a new technique to produce high‐quality cakes. In this work, superheated steam treatment (SST) was found to change the physical characteristics of the cake batter, adding more air bubbles and improving the internal structure of the cake. The results show that SST has great prospects for being incorporated into grain processing methods to improve the quality of the final products. The lab‐scale superheated steam processing technique proposed herein features a shorter processing period compared to conventional thermal processing methods, taking mere minutes, and thereby shortening the overall workflow. This work expands the potential applications of superheated steam technology in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat flour superheated steam treatment can improve the baking food quality by modifying the functionality of wheat flour. To reveal the underlying mechanism of improving wheat flour quality by superheated steam treatment, the gluten molecular rearrangement and polymerization behavior of wheat flour upon superheated steam were studied. Molecular size distributions of samples were analyzed using size exclusion (SE-HPLC) and electrophoresis, which illustrated that superheated steam treatment promoted the aggregation of gluten due to cross-links of disulfide (SS) bonds. Superheated steam treatment increased the SDS-insoluble proteins content from 63.07% (native wheat flour) to 93.32% (treated at 150 °C for 1 min). Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to calculate the different secondary structures percentages of gluten, suggesting that superheated steam treatment increased intermolecular β-sheet and α-helix while it decreased anti-parallel β-sheet, β-turn and β-sheet. Furthermore, thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and rheology suggested that superheated steam treatment enhanced gluten mass but weakened gel system due to molecular rearrangements of SS bonds and hydrogen bonds. [Display omitted] • Gluten polymerization behavior of wheat flour upon superheated steam were studied. • Superheated steam treatment induced gluten aggregation and SS bonds cross-links. • Superheated steam treatment weakened the wheat flour gel system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of superheated steam treatment on the physicochemical properties of wheat flour and quality characteristics of cake were investigated. Superheated steam treatment significantly increased the swelling power, viscosities and gelatinization temperature, but reduced the gelatinization enthalpy (p < 0.05), compared with native wheat flour. However, the dough made from the treated flour was harder to form. Moreover, superheated steam treatment significantly increased the value of falling number. Cake quality was affected by the changes in the physicochemical properties of wheat flour. Results showed that superheated steam treatment significantly decreased the hardness of cake from 1465 g (native flour) to 377 g (150 °C, 1 min), and increased the specific volume of cake from 3.12 mL/g (native flour) to 3.9 mL/g (150 °C, 1 min). The present study suggests that superheated steam treatment has great potential as a flour modification technology for cake quality improvement. • Physicochemical properties of wheat flour treated with superheated steam were studied. • Superheated steam treatment weakened the gluten strength of dough. • Superheated steam treatment promoted the functional properties of wheat flour. • Wheat flour superheated steam treatment could improve cake quality characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural and digestive properties of wheat flour which had been treated with superheated steam were investigated. Superheated steam treatment increased the degree of gelatinization (DG) and water absorption indexes (WAI) while decreased water solubility indexes (WSI) of wheat flour samples, compared with native wheat flour. The structural properties of wheat flour were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), particle size analyzer, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The starch granules agglomeration and denatured gluten proteins aggregation of samples were observed after treated with superheated steam. Additionally, Superheated steam treatment decreased the relative crystallinity and short-range order structure of starch. These structural changes were related to the starch digestibility. Superheated steam treatment caused the significant increase for slowly digestible starch (SDS) contents from 21.5% of native wheat flour to 35.0% of treated wheat flour (170 °C, 4 min). Additionally, the equilibrium hydrolysis concentration (C ∞) and the kinetic coefficient (k) of treated wheat flour were lower than native wheat flour, indicating that superheated steam treatment decelerated the hydrolysis rate. These results contributed to the applications of superheated steam technology in wheat flour modification. Image 1 • Structure and digestibility properties of wheat flour were studied. • Gluten aggregation of wheat flour was observed by superheated steam treatment. • Superheated steam treatment changed the structural characteristics of wheat flour. • Superheated steam treatment increased SDS and RS contents of wheat flour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]