2001 AACC Annual Meeting Charlotte, North Carolina October 14-18, 2001 Charlotte Convention Center

NIR has previously shown its potential in real time monitoring of dough mixing. The objective of this research was to investigate the use of NIR (with a fiber-optic probe and a new diode-array system) in diagnosing the flour and ingredient problems at the mixer, and their effects on the rheological dough, mixing and breadmaking properties. Full formula bread doughs were made in a Labtron mixer based on Box-Behnken statistical design (3 levels, variables of 16 flours, 5 principal dough components, and 8 microingredients and food additives). NIR wavelengths appropriate for dough rheology measurement were further identified and dough spectra were interpreted. Further, the measurements were applied to the multiple dough formulations. Comparison was made of diagnoses and quantification with mixing dough rheology and baked bread product evaluation. The results indicated that NIR can be used to measure the rheological and che! mical changes of dough during mixing due to ingredient variations and interactions, and thus to quantify their levels so that corrections can be made prior to completion of the process. Using rapid NIR technology in the study of dough rheological behavior, development, and chemistry in breadmaking process would lead to a much better understanding of mixing phenomenon, and eventually lead to the industrial automation of the mixing and baking process.