Effect of Calcium Gluconate on Physical Properties of Wheat Flour Dough and Breadmaking

Abstract

The effect of calcium gluconate on the loaf volume of bread, viscoelastic properties, and interactions between gluten and starch in the dough was studied using a home bakery . The addition of Ca-gluconate (0.3% (w/w)) to the wheat flour significantly increased the loaf volume. Farinograph datum of wheat flour with Ca-gluconate shortened the development time of dough as compared with that of control. Scanning electron microscopic observation of wheat dough after 25-min mixing with Ca-gluconate showed in part thick, stringy fibers compared with that of the control without an additive, and therefore the gluten molecules tended to change the covering of the surface of starch granule. The gelatinization temperature of starch granules tended to decrease slightly by the addition of Ca-gluconate. Considering these results, the improvement of loaf volume by the addition of Ca-gluconate may be caused by the formation of cross-linkages between gluten and Ca-gluconate.