Physicochemical Behavior of the Components of Wheat Flour

This chapter deals with each group of the main components—their structure, interaction with water, and physical properties. In the living plant and even in a wheat flour there are both lipase and phospholipase activities. The addition of lipid fractions to wheat flour dough after lipid removal by extraction can give totally different effects depending on their physical state. Wheat flour and water are mixed into dough, which is then washed in excess water. The glycoproteins found in the water extract of wheat flour are included among the pentosans. The importance of a certain class of proteins for the baking performance of wheat flour could be shown in several ways. Glutenins influence the baking performance of wheat flour in at least three ways: through the gliadin/glutenin ratio, through the molecular weight distribution of glutenins, and through the presence of certain high molecular weight (HMW) glutenin subunits.