Maltose formation in wheat dough depending on mechanical starch modification and dough hydration

[Display omitted] •Enzymatic reactions already occur during grinding of wheat flour.•Most of maltose was released during kneading due to enzymatic hydrolysis of starch.•Maltose formation was more pronounced with high MSM and low hydration level.•Maltose utilization by yeast was improved with low dough hydration level.•Increased maltose concentration had no relevant effect on yeast maltose utilization. This study investigates the maltose formation during grinding of flour and dough processing (kneading, fermentation) attributed to mechanical flour or rather mechanical starch modification (MSM) and dough hydration. A strong rise of maltose formation up to 334% was observed during kneading due to improved accessibility of mechanical modified starch to amylolytic enzymes, whereas during proofing only a minor rise was detectable. The maltose release was more pronounced with high MSM and low dough hydration. Low dough hydration levels of 158 g water 100 g−1 flour instead of 178 g water 100 g−1 flour also intensified the maltose utilization by yeast (+37% with MSM of 4.78 g 100 g−1 flour; +27% with MSM of 7.46 g 100 g−1 flour), whereas increased maltose concentrations were not utilized by yeast during a fermentation cycle of 60 min. Consequently, high maltose concentrations based on MSM should have no relevant effect on the gas production during 60 min fermentation. However, the gas production by yeast might be prolonged due to enhanced substrate availability and thus could be relevant for elongated proofing methods.