Model for growth of bubbles during proofing of viscoelastic dough

A model for growth of bubbles during proofing of bread dough is presented for infinitely dilute as well as finite volume fraction gas dispersions. The model accounts for diffusion of CO2, produced by fermentation, along with the resistance to bubble expansion by the viscoelasticity of the dough as described by Oldroyd-B constitutive equation. The model predicts evolution of bubble size, bubble growth rate and the profiles of CO2 concentration and normal stresses in the vicinity of the gas bubble. The growth of bubbles exhibits a lag time followed by an exponential growth phase. The lag time is found to be smaller for larger dough relaxation time, larger surface tension, smaller dough viscosity, higher temperature, higher gas volume fraction and higher CO2 production rate. The bubble growth rate is larger for smaller bubbles resulting in crossover of bubble size at longer times.