A Comprehensive Review of the Rheological Properties of Lentil Flour and Starch for Food Applications

Rheology is the study of flow and its behavior. Unlike powder flow, lentil flour and starch, either individually or in a food formulation, exhibit flow in dispersions, dough, or gel. The presence of a significant amount of starch and protein in lentil flour results in a broad range of rheological properties in dough or dispersion, and the obtained data are useful in many industrial applications, including food, feed, packaging, and pharmaceuticals. During processing, lentil starch dispersions undergo gelatinization and form a gel. Oscillatory rheological measurement can accruately predict the reaction kinetics of lentil starch gelatinization with simultaneous changes in temperature and time. Isothermally heated lentil starch gel advances knowledge by providing information on gel rigidity. The mechanical properties of starch gels can be measured by creep and recovery tests. This review focuses on the rheological properties of lentil flour and starch in dispersions or dough and heat- or pressure-induced lentil gels. The rheological data would help processors select lentil ingredients and their potential applications in product development or additive manufacturing.