Characteristics of wheat flour blends with water chestnut flour and effects of different temperature on frozen fermented dough

Background and Objectives This study investigated the effects of different substitutions of water chestnut flour (WCF) on the quality of wheat flour and fermented dough. Changes in the quality of fermented dough containing the optimum amount of WCF (10%) were analyzed after it was frozen and stored at −6°C, −12°C, −18°C, and −24°C for 15 days. Findings Significant changes occurred in mixolab test and the optimum addition of WCF was 10%, as reflected by the longest dough stability time, the lowest dough weakening degree, and the strongest dough thermal stability. The peak viscosity of the flour mix increased significantly and the gelatinization temperature decreased significantly with the increase of WCF addition. The fermented dough with 10% WCF had similar textural properties to the dough without WCF. After frozen storage, the hardness of fermented dough containing 10% WCF stored at −12°C, −18°C, and −24°C were significantly higher than that of the control (without frozen storage). The fermentation volumes of doughs at −12°C and −24°C were larger than that at −18°C, and the gluten network structure at −24°C remained relatively intact. Conclusions Frozen storage at −12°C and −24°C could maintain the texture and gluten network structure of the mixed dough containing an optimum amount of 10% WCF. Significance and Novelty The quality changes of fermented dough containing the optimum amount of WCF during frozen storage at different freezing temperatures were explored to provide a theoretical basis for the frozen flour products containing WCF.