Effect of a wheat protein on pH-dependent water-binding capacity and viscosity of wheat tailings fractions

Wheat flour was fractionated with acetic acid using a mortar and pestle method or a blender method. Higher pH-dependent water-binding capacity (WBC) and viscosity were obtained only in the tailings fraction. The higher pH-dependent WBC was rather stable at 5-37 degrees C, however it decreased with salt addition. Pepsin or bromelain treatment stopped the pH-dependent changes in WBC and viscosity, which suggests that this characteristic of the tailings fraction is due to the presence of proteins. HPLC indicated that the M-r of the proteins associated with high WBC at low pH was >200 kDa.