Improving the Microstructural and Rheological Properties of Frozen Unfermented Wheat Dough with Laccase and Ferulic Acid

Abstract

The quality deterioration that is induced by freezing treatment limits the development of frozen dough technology for standardized and delayed baking. In this study, laccase (LAC) and ferulic acid (FA) were employed to improve the rheological properties and microstructure of frozen unfermented dough. The results showed that the dough with LAC + FA had a lower softening degree than the dough with FA alone. Correspondingly, LAC + FA incorporation enhanced the viscoelastic behavior of frozen unfermented dough with better stability. Furthermore, a more uniform and homogeneous gluten network was observed in the LAC + FA-supplemented dough after 21 d of storage. The structural stability of the frozen gluten sample increased after LAC + FA treatment, possibly owing to an increase in the oxidation degree of FA. Moreover, LAC + FA treatment promoted the oxidation of the sulfhydryl groups to some extent, resulting in more extensive cross-linking. LAC + FA treatment hindered the protein conformational changes typically induced by frozen storage compared with LAC alone. Overall, LAC + FA treatment has a synergistic effect on enhancing the viscoelastic behaviors of frozen unfermented dough and inhibiting the conformational variation in frozen gluten; thus, it shows promise for improving frozen dough.