The impact of the wheat cultivar and mixing parameters (W/F,
N) on gluten agglomeration during dough mixing were studied
using a macroscopic image analysis. The tested mixing parameters
had an important impact on optimal dough development time and
dough consistency. However the agglomeration of gluten was not
largely impacted by the W/F ratio and N, when doughs were
compared at similar stages of mixing. Only for optimally developed
doughs, the gluten phase morphology appeared to be influenced by
the mixing parameters. Doughs which required longer mixing
times (i.e. higher W/F or lower N) to attain optimal development
showed a more evenly distributed network of thin gluten strands at
tpeak. The higher cumulative deformation encountered by these
doughs was proposed as a possible cause of their difference in
morphology. As opposed to mixing parameters, the wheat cultivar
was shown to be a major factor impacting the size of gluten agglomerates,
as well as their growth rate during dough mixing. It
was hypothesized that the relatively high agglomerating capacity of
the gluten phase of the Orvantis flour e observed on a macroscopic
scale e might be related to its low %UPP content. Further study is
needed to elucidate a possible relation between the biochemical
characteristics of a flour and the macroscopic behavior of its wheat
gluten fraction.