Comparison and mechanism analysis of the changes in viscoelasticity and texture of fresh noodles induced by wheat flour lipids

• Functionality of wheat lipids in non-leavened wheat-based product was elucidated. • Defatting led to an improved hydration but absence of starch-lipid complexes. • Glycolipids had the most improved effects on noodle qualities among flour lipids. • Secondly, phospholipids and starch lipids showed a similarly improved effect. • Extra non-starch lipids or neutral lipids was associated with non-gluten protein. To understand the functionality of wheat flour starch lipids (SLs), non-starch lipids (NSLs), glycolipids (GLs), phospholipids (PLs), and neutral lipids (NLs) in non-leavened wheat-based products, their independent influence on noodle dough viscoelasticity and noodle texture were compared and the underlying mechanism was elucidated. Defatting caused slightly improved hydration, marginally promoting dough viscoelasticity and noodle springiness and adhesiveness but the resulting absence of starch-lipid complexes and few B-starch granules signally reduced the noodle hardness. Independently adding 2.50 g of these five lipids back into 100 g of defatted flour, GLs showed the most improved effects, followed by PLs, SLs, NSLs, and NLs. These lipids associated with gluten proteins and enhanced water-solids interplay, resulting in a significantly decreased SDS-soluble gluten proteins and further producing dough with increased β-turn, moderate protein aggregation, and properly intensive microstructures. Consequently, the resultant noodle dough exhibited an optimal viscoelasticity and the cooked noodle had a desirable texture.