Effects of Laccase and Ferulic Acid on Wheat Flour Doughs

• Published in: Cereal chemistry 2000-11, Vol.77 (6), p.823-828
• Main Authors: Labat, E., Morel, M. H., Rouau, X.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical, structural and metabolic biochemistry; Biochemistry; Biochemistry, Molecular Biology; Biological and medical sciences; Cereal and baking product industries; Enzymes and enzyme inhibitors; Food additives; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Life Sciences; Oxidoreductases
• ISSN: 0009-0352; 1943-3638
• DOI: 10.1094/CCHEM.2000.77.6.823

ABSTRACT The effects of a laccase from the fungus Pycnoporus cinnabarinus on the mixing of a wheat flour dough with or without added ferulic acid (FA) were studied. Laccase reduced dough time‐to‐peak and accelerated dough breakdown in comparison with the control. Its effect was enhanced with FA. The water extractability of arabinoxylans (AX) increased during mixing of a dough free of added laccase, especially with exogenous FA. At the same time, the extractability of FA decreased during mixing. Added FA may have competed with endogenous AX feruloyl esters, inhibiting partly oxidative gelation. Laccase decreased AX extractability by chain cross‐linking through oxidative dimerization of feruloyl esters. FA and, moreover, FA plus laccase, increased the oxidation of sulfhydryl (SH) groups. FA and, even more, FA in combination with laccase, increased the rate of protein depolymerization during mixing. FA and the products of FA laccase oxidation participated in a redox reaction involving SH groups. A coupling reaction involving enzymatically generated feruloyl radicals and thiol radicals generated through the mechanical breakdown of inter‐chain disulfide bonds might explain these results.