Mechanical activation of aqueous solutions as a way to improve mixing and structure formation in dispersed systems

Abstract

The process of dough preparation is one of the most complex in bread production technology. Stirring of flour with liquid components (water, aqueous solutions) is a complex process of surface interaction associated with overcoming the surface energy at the interface between phases. The intensity of formation of a homogeneous mixture of flour and liquid components, subsequently transformed into dough, determines its structural and mechanical properties. The aim of the work is theoretical substantiation and experimental confirmation of the influence of preliminary mechanical treatment of liquid components on the process of dough mixing and structure formation of water disperse system. Theoretical analysis of the process of adhesive interaction of bulk material with liquid has been carried out. It is shown that the surface energy at the boundary of interaction with phases should be reduced. It is experimentally established that mechanical action on water and aqueous solutions reduces surface tension by 20-30 %. It is established that at mixing of flour and liquid components of dough the preliminary mechanical treatment gives the effect of improvement of wetting, increase of elasticity and reduction of time of structure formation in dough. The specific power during kneading is reduced by 15-20 %. With the help of rheometry means ("Rheotest", Structurometer ST 2, conical Rebinder plastometer) improvement of structural and mechanical properties of the dough is shown: increase of ultimate shear stress by 20-25 %, decrease of adhesion by 30-40 %, increase of elastic properties after kneading up to 10 %, increase of water-binding capacity. The studies were carried out on laboratory equipment and in production conditions at the enterprises of JSC "Kemerovokhleb".