Wheat starch granules in frozen dough: Quality deterioration and improvement strategies.

Frozen dough technology mitigates elevated production costs and prolonged processing times of fresh dough products. However, freezing can cause quality deterioration of dough, which greatly limits the application of frozen dough. As the primary component of dough, wheat starch undergoes quality deterioration during freezing, significantly affecting the quality of frozen dough. Therefore, a deep understanding of advances in the freezing degradation of wheat starch and its effects on dough water distribution, dough microstructure and product quality is crucial. The study critically reviews the differential structural and quality deterioration of A- and B-type granules during freezing. Furthermore, multi-scale interactions between wheat starch and other major components are critically evaluated, highlighting the comprehensive impact of starch types on frozen dough systems. Finally, strategies to improve the quality of frozen dough and extend its shelf life through starch modification and protective additives are proposed.