Linear and Non-Linear Rheological Properties of Gluten-Free Dough Systems Probed by Fundamental Methods

Gluten forms a continuous protein network that helps to retain gas produced by yeast fermentation and oven rise. Therefore, gluten-free baked products have poor quality in terms of volume, texture, and shelf life. As a result, manufacturing high-quality gluten-free baked products has become one of the most difficult challenges for manufacturers, cereal technologists, and scientists. Rheological testing of dough has been widely used to predict baked product quality and to adjust processing parameters in the manufacturing of gluten-free baked products. Linear viscoelastic properties are mostly determined by Small Amplitude Oscillatory Shear (SAOS) tests, which provide information without disturbing the 3-D structure of dough significantly, while characterization of the viscoelastic behavior of dough in the non-linear region using fundamental methods such as large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS), creep-recovery, and lubricated squeezing flow tests provide a more detailed understanding of dough’s viscoelastic response under large deformations. As dough processing involves small and large deformations, characterization of the linear and non-linear rheological properties of gluten-free dough systems might provide a deeper insight into baked product quality. Therefore, the aim of this review was to bring a detailed summary of the viscoelastic properties of gluten-free dough systems probed by fundamental rheological testing methods both in the linear and non-linear regions and their correlations with baked product quality, while providing an overview of the impact of ingredients on viscoelastic properties.