Multiscale monitoring of dough baking

International audience; Baking is considered as a critical phase of the breadmaking process [1] since formation of a porous structure during baking influences the final bread texture and its sensory quality. This process is linked to physical, chemical, biochemical and structural changes such as water evaporation, volume expansion, protein denaturation, starch gelatinization and crust formation. The objective of this study was to relate the changes observed during bread making at the molecular level using NMR and mechanical characteristics of the dough (rheology) to the macroscopic changes observed by MRI. The crumb texture, color and volume of the final product were also analyzed. The impact of incorporation of OSA starch (starch modified with octenyl succinic anhydride) [2] in bread formulation was evaluated on dough properties and bread quality. For this purpose, proton transverse relaxation (20 MHz, Minispec; Bruker) and creep and recovery tests (Haake Mars; Thermo Scientific) were measured in dough samples during baking from 20 to 90°C. MRI (1.5 T, Avanto; Siemens) method [3] for a dynamic quantification of the local porosity in bread during baking was applied. The multi-scale approach used contributed to the better understanding of the breadmaking process, demonstrating the link between the molecular and mechanical properties of the dough, it expansion during baking and the quality of the final bread. By using OSA starch, it was demonstrated how small changes in the product formulation impacted the final product quality.