Abstract
The effect of moisture absorption on the textural properties of baked wheat flour products was studied for eighteen kinds of baked products incorporating different quantities of ingredient : i.e. 100 g of wheat flour, 0-100 g of butter and 0-60 g of water.
The baked products became either harder or softer after moisture absorption : the samples with low butter and high water contents became harder, while the samples with high butter and low water contents became softer. Changes in texture began at around R.H. 56.5 %, and the textural characteristics of the test samples could classified into two groups within R.H. 68-88%; one group became softer and the other became harde.
A positive correlation was obtained between the textural properties (i.e., maximum force and cutting energy) after moisture absorption and the starch gelatinization characteristics of swelling capacity and amylose solubility. It is suggested that starch-gel formation was one of the most important factors to strengthen the tissue.
