Insight into the effect of wheatgrass powder on steamed bread properties: Impacts on gluten polymerization and starch gelatinization behavior

This study investigates the use of wheatgrass powder (WGP) as a functional ingredient in steamed bread, focusing on its effects on the nutritional composition and key biological macromolecules, specifically gluten and starch. Wheatgrass harvested at 8 days demonstrated optimal bioactive content, enhancing steamed bread quality. The incorporation of WGP (2.5 % and 5 %) reduced loaf volume and increased firmness and chewiness while improving flavor and taste. WGP also suppressed starch gelatinization, decreased thermal stability, and altered gluten polymerization by reducing the polymerization of α- and γ-gliadin into glutenin. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that WGP disrupted the gluten-starch matrix, leading to a fragmented gluten network and reduced starch gelatinization, which contributed to the increased firmness and chewiness of steamed bread. These findings highlight the potential of WGP as a functional ingredient for wheat-based products and fill the gap by providing WGP insights into the optimization of dough properties and the underlying molecular interactions involving proteins and starch.