Relationships of protein composition, gluten structure, and dough rheological properties with short biscuits quality of soft wheat varieties

Understanding the contribution of protein composition and gluten structure to dough property and biscuit baking is crucial to improve soft wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) grain quality. Thus, the relationships of protein composition, gluten structure, and dough rheological properties with short biscuits quality was investigated using 10 Chinese soft wheat varieties. Content of grain protein, flour protein, gliadin, glutenin, and high and low molecular weight glutenin subunits were significantly positively correlated with hardness of biscuit, but negatively correlated with spread factor and sensory score. Gluten of wheat varieties with lower dough strength and better biscuit quality showed thinner walls of apertures and more regular apertures in its microstructure. The gluten with higher strength had more apertures and antiparallel β‐sheets and fewer α‐helices. Moreover, dough with a higher softening degree was easier to stretch and tended to produce biscuits with larger diameter and crispier taste during baking. In conclusion, main wheat quality characteristics that can be used to select grain samples suitable for making tasty biscuits were recommended as follows: flour protein content, wet gluten content and microstructure, Zeleny sedimentation value, and dough softening degree.