A purified recombinant lipoxygenase (ana-rLOX) was produced extracellularly in Bacillus subtilis and subsequently
investigated for use in breadmaking. The variations in the properties of flour, dough and bread after
treatment with the enzyme were studied. After adding ana-rLOX, whiteness (L*) of the wheat flour was improved
and was similar to that achievable with the addition of benzoyl peroxide. For dough color, the L* of the
ana-rLOX-treated sample was higher than that of benzoyl peroxide, and b* dropped sharply in the first 2.5 h
after mixing with the flour. Also, the reinforcement or strengthening effect of wheat dough treated with
ana-rLOX was determined by dough rheology and scanning electron microscopy of gluten matrix. The textural
and structural quality parameters of the enzyme-treated bread showed improved properties including crumb
color, specific volume, resilience, chewiness, and hardness. Compared with the control, the enzyme-treated
bread volume improved 16.8%, the loaf height increased 10.3%, and the specific volume increased by 18.2%.
This is the first report of the application of recombinant LOX in breadmaking, and the results provide a basis
for future breadmaking bioprocess technology applications of ana-rLOX.