Effects of Vital Wheat Gluten on A Highland Barley-Wheat Flour Mixed Dough Network Structure

Abstract:

Highland barley, valued for its high nutritional value and health benefits, is a major cereal crop cultivated in the Tibetan Plateau region. However, its low gluten protein content makes it difficult to process. The addition of vital wheat gluten (VWG), a natural source of gluten protein, can improve the rheological properties of dough. The effect of VWG addition on the network structure of highland barley flour (HBF)-wheat flour mixed dough was investigated using infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and confocal scanning laser microscope (CSLM). The molecular structure of the dough, changes in disulfide bonds, and the microstructures of the gluten proteins were also analyzed. The results indicate that the addition of VWG markedly enhances the number of hydrogen and disulfide bonds within the dough and promotes the ordering of the protein secondary structure, with the highest disulfide bond content (7.49 μmol/g) observed in the group containing 40% HBF and 8% VWG. Furthermore, the inclusion of VWG effectively mitigated the disruption of the gluten network structure caused by HBF, enhancing the overall structural stability of the dough. The results provide a scientific basis for the application and development of HBF in baked products and demonstrate that VWG addition can improve the quality of highland barley dough.