Assessing the Role of the Main Flour Components and Fermentation in the Rheology of Wheat Flour Dough with a New Rheological Toolbox

Promovendus/a: Mathieu Meerts

Promotor(en): Prof. dr. ir. Paula Moldenaers; Prof. dr. ir. Christophe Courtin; Mevrouw Ruth Cardinaels

Although bread making has been practiced for millennia, the fundamental scientific understanding of this process is surprisingly limited. Particularly, the impact of yeast fermentation on dough rheology is largely unknown. So far, most research has been performed on unfermented dough to avoid complications related to fermentation. This research project aims to unravel the precise influence of yeast fermentation on dough rheology.

The first part of the project is concerned with establishing relationships between the dough composition and the resulting microstructure on the one hand, and the rheological properties of unfermented dough on the other hand. At present, this relation is still far from fully understood. The second part aims at revealing the mechanisms responsible for the change in dough rheological behavior as a result of fermentation. Thereto, the individual impact of yeast metabolites on the rheology of unfermented dough will be investigated. Furthermore, the rheological characteristics of fermented dough will be studied. Finally, a new fundamental rheological method will be developed to study the properties of leavening dough in situ and time-resolved. The project thus provides an exciting opportunity to develop new rheological tools for the study of complex biological and transient systems, leading to novel insights in the structure-rheology relations in these systems.