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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Grain Quality and Structure Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #381813
Research Project: Grain Composition Traits Related to End-Use Quality and Value of Sorghum

Location: Grain Quality and Structure Research

Title: Zein functionality in viscoelastic dough for baked food products

Author
item Bean, Scott
item AKIN, PERVIN - Institute For Field Crops - Turkey
item Aramouni, Fadi

Submitted to: Journal of Cereal Science
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/9/2021
Publication Date: 6/14/2021
Citation: Bean, S.R., Akin, P.A., Aramouni, F.M. 2021. Zein functionality in viscoelastic dough for baked food products. Journal of Cereal Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcs.2021.103270.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcs.2021.103270

Interpretive Summary: Zein is the major prolamin storage protein of maize and isolated zein is one of only two prolamins available commercially. Zein also has the unique ability to form viscoelastic dough with wheat-like properties when mixed with water under appropriate conditions. However, the mechanism of how zein is able to form viscoelastic dough is not well understood.This article discusses factors that impact zein viscoelastic dough formation including the role of protein secondary structure, methods for improving zein dough formation, and practical applications of zein used in baked food products. This information will be useful in guiding research aimed at functionalizing similar prolamins in related cereal grains such as sorghum.

Technical Abstract: Zein is the major prolamin storage protein of maize and isolated zein is one of only two prolamins available commercially. Zein has a long history of use in the production of a wide range of materials including films, coatings, fibers, etc. Zein also has the unique ability to form viscoelastic dough with wheat-like properties when mixed with water under appropriate conditions. The ability to form such dough provides zein with the potential to be used in the production of baked food products for the gluten-free industry, portions of the world where producing wheat is difficult or expensive to import and in novel applications for plant-based foods in general. This article discusses factors that impact zein viscoelastic dough formation including the role of protein secondary structure, methods for improving zein dough formation as well as the production of breads and noodles from zein viscoelastic dough.