Aggregative and structural properties of wheat gluten induced by pectin

Abstract Pectin is a common food additive used for enhancing the health benefits of dietary fibers, and is the most structurally and functionally complex polysaccharide, rich in galacturonic acid. In this study, we investigated changes in the aggregative property of gluten, their rheological properties, and secondary structure, as well as in the gluten network, when supplemented by apple pectin. Adding pectin was shown to enhance the macromolecular aggregation of gluten, and improved the rheological properties of dough by inducing a dense network of gluten. The presence of pectin decreased α-helix content but increased β-sheet and β-turn structure of gluten, suggesting that pectin affected the hydration level of gluten, leading to the formation of aggregated β-structures. This study provides a better understanding of pectin functionality in wheat flour dough, and is valuable for guiding in the application of pectin in wheat flour food products.