Effect of flour hydration on rheological characterization of bread dough

The effect of flour hydration on the rheological characteristics of bread dough was investigated. For this purpose، hydrated zero-developed (zero mechanical energy developed; ZD) doughs، which hydrated out side of the mixer were used. The influence of hydration temperature (5 and 25 °C) and time (1. 5، 4 and 24 h) on hydration ability of doughs was investigated. Farinograph and Extensigraph experiments were used to study the behavior of hydrated doughs upon different hydration treatments. Results indicated that increasing hydration time and temperature led to an increase in hydration performance، thus hydration phase in Farinograms was decreased and finally disappeared. Comparing doughs prepared from ZD doughs versus those mixed from conventional flour-water mixtures showed that reduction in hydration phase (arrival time) in ZD doughs، especially upon hydration at 25 °C for 24 h، arrival time was totally disappeared. However، doughs prepared with ZD-dough had lower Farinograph «stability» and higher «degree of softening» values compared to those mixed from flour-water mixtures. Only hydration at 25 °C for 24 h gave suitable doughs for Extensigraph experiments. Evaluation of Extensigram of such dough compared with doughs mixed from flour-water mixer showed better rheological performance (higher Rmax، energy to extension and Ratio values).