Influence of flour, bacterial starter and breadmaking stages on total starch, sugars and low-molecular-weight dextrins

Wheat flours and bacterial starters were used in sourdough and straight breadmaking processes. The effect of the processing stage on levels of starch, sugars and low-molecular-weight dextrins (LMWD) with degrees of polymerization (DP) 3-7 were studied. The breadmaking step and type of flour affected the majority of the variables. The type of microorganism influenced only sugar contents. In factor analysis, the first two factors correlated with LMWD and the third factor with starch. Sourdough and fermentation mainly influenced changes in LMWD; baking did not result in further differences. Sourdoughs and unfermented doughs had the greatest amounts of monosaccharides, whereas fermented doughs and breads had the highest levels of dextrins with DP 3-5. The type of wheat was more significant than the flour extraction rate in governing LMWD.