Several structureefunction relationships have been established
regarding zein's ability to function as a viscoelastic material.
Viscoelastic properties were first demonstrated in zein-starch
dough systems, provided the protein was hydrated and mixed
above its glass transition temperature (Lawton, 1992). Secondary
structural transformations have also been observed in zein's
viscoelastic state, with notable increases in b-sheet structures at
the expense of a-helical domains