Present paper deals with crosslinking, oxidation, reduction, complex formation and enzymatic degradation of flour components like starch, protein and water soluble non-starch polysaccharides (WSNSP), contribute to the dough characteristics and bread properties. Peak viscosity and pasting viscosity of wheat starch showed 21% and 18% increase respectively, in presence of 1% RYE-WSNSP. Loaf volume of the wheat flour breads increased to a significant (p<0.05) level (12%) due to presence of 1.5% RYE-WSNSP. In presence of 10 units of xylanase, loaf volume of standard wheat flour bread increased to 44 ml. Evaluation of the effect of RYE-WSNSP on the baking loss showed no significant difference between samples. RYEWSNSP delayed staling significantly (p<0.05) during storage as expressed by crumb firmness measured after 48 hours. Stress relaxation measurements showed that rate at which stress decayed was delayed by RYE-WSNSP in a wheat flour bread. RYE-WSNSP have a slight but significant (p<0.05) influence on transition enthalpy of gelatinization of a sample of starch as well as a sample of wheat flour. However, RYE-WSNSP did not cause any significant effect on retrogradation of starch. But at a water content of 43.4% transition enthalpy of a wheat flour sample decreased by 25% in presence of 0.25% RYE-WSNSP.

Highlights

• The WSNSP - water soluble non-starch polysaccharides from Rye (Secale cereale) was found to influence the dough characteristics and bread properties, primarily due to its water binding capacity.
• The viscoelastic properties of the dough as well as its ability to hold the gas during fermentation and maintain the shape of the loaf are affected by the amount of WSNSP and its properties.
• The loaf volume, the crumb structure, colour and taste of the crust are also affected positively by the WSNSP content of the flour, while enzymes like xylanase, which degrade the WSNSP, are found to act in the reverse direction