Location: Potato, Pulse and Small Grains Quality Research
Project Number: 3060-21650-002-067-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2025
End Date: Dec 31, 2026
Objective:
This project aims to develop novel, highly functional chickpea-derived ingredients for use as natural wheat dough improvers by identifying and concentrating their active components, elucidating their dough-strengthening mechanisms, and optimizing their applications in bread-making. Specifically, (1) develop and optimize viable fractionation methods for isolating functional components from chickpea flour; (2) evaluate the effects of individual chickpea fractionations on dough rheology and bread-making performance to determine their functional contributions; (3) investigate the synergistic effects of partially reconstituted chickpea flours on dough and bread quality by systematically recombining selected fractions; (4) optimize the formulation of chickpea ingredients/wheat flour composites and characterize bread quality, nutrition, and sensory properties; (5) assess the techno-economic feasibility of producing the most promising chickpea-derived dough improvers.
Approach:
This project will isolate and evaluate functional chickpea fractions, investigate their dough-strengthening mechanisms, and optimize their use in wheat-based baking applications.
We will first develop and optimize fractionation procedures for isolating and concentrating highly functional components from chickpea flour. Each fraction will then be initially added at ratios echoing the 7.5% chickpea flour incorporation based on the preliminary results, adjusted based on the recovery rate of each fraction. Mixograph, an essential tool for rapidly assessing wheat flour and dough additive functionality, will serve as the primary method for screening promising fractions. Promising fractions will undergo further systematical evaluation at varied concentrations in wheat flour using additional dough testing techniques, including farinograph, extensibility test, and viscoelasticity. Confocal laser scanning microscopy will be used to obtain the visual distribution of protein networks and starch granules as affected by chickpea ingredients. Baking test of promising composites will be conducted to further evaluate their baking performance (AACC method 10-10.03), and bread specific volume, color, C-cell, and texture profiles will be analyzed. Comprehensive characterization of promising fractions for chemical composition and physicochemical properties will be performed. We will recombine these fractions by systematically excluding one least functional fraction at a time. Further recombination will also be conducted by excluding two or more fractions to pinpoint the most effective partially recombined chickpea ingredients as dough improvers. Leveraging the findings from Obj. 1-3, we will optimize the bread-making performance by using optimal chickpea fractions from various varieties in different commercial wheat flours with protein levels ranging from 9-13%. Common commercial dough improvers, such as vital wheat gluten, enzyme-active soy flour, ascorbic acid, potassium bromate, calcium stearoyl lactylate, and others will also be comparatively tested. Similar dough rheological analysis and baking tests will be carried out. In addition, differential scanning calorimetry analysis will be performed on bread crumb to investigate starch retrogradation and bread staling characteristics and nutritional quality of the most promising wheat/chickpea breads will be characterized. Then, a comprehensive techno-economic analysis (TEA) will be conducted to assess the economic feasibility of promising chickpea-derived ingredients.