The gluten polymerization behavior, water content, starch crystallinity and firmness of Chinese steamed
bread made from frozen dough were investigated and their correlations were also established in this
study. The decreased degree of gluten polymerization in steamed bread was observed by the enhanced
SDS-extractable proteins (SDSEPs) upon frozen storage. Less incorporation of glutenin in the glutenin
egliadin crosslinking of steamed bread mainly contributed to the decreased degree of gluten polymerization.
The decreased moisture of steamed bread had a significant negative correlation with the sublimated
water in frozen dough (r ¼ 0.8850, P < 0.01). Frozen storage also induced an increase in starch
crystallinity and bread firmness. A multiple linear regression model with SDS-extractable proteins, water
content and melting enthalpy of starch crystals of steamed bread accounted for 86% of the variance in the
natural logarithm of firmness and further revealed that starch crystallinity mainly contributed to bread
firmness.