Effect of malt flour addition on the rheological properties of wheat fermented dough

The bread-making quality of forty three wheat flour samples, divided into two groups according to the ash content (up to 0.6% and 0.7%), and its changes by fortification with malt flour were studied in the form of fermented dough. Standard analytical measurements (ash and protein contents, wet gluten, falling number, Zeleny sedimentation value), rheological investigations (amylograph, maturograph, oven rise recorder), and laboratory baking test were used for the characterisation of flour and dough. The influence of the malt flour addition on the fermented dough behaviour depends on the flour composition and was found more significant in flours with a lower ash content ("bright" type). Amylograph characteristics of flour-water suspensions were affected in the same extent by the malt addition. Maturograph behaviour changed significantly only in proofing stability (without influence by the flour type) and dough firmness was affected by malt only in the case of flours with lower ash contents. Oven rise characteristics of dough and the specific bread volume showed important changes in both sets of samples with significant differences between flours with lower and higher ash contents. A strong correlation (r = 0.62-0.75) significant at 0.01 level exists between the specific bread volume and all oven rise parameters of dough from both sets of samples.