Effect of Inorganic Salt Ready‐Mix on the Rheological, Structural, and Functional Characteristics of Dough, Noodles, and Isolated Starch‐Gluten Fractions

Impact of inorganic salt ready‐mix (0.78% NaCl, 0.64% carbonate salt, 0.29% DSP, 0.25% SHMP, and 0.46% TKP on dough, noodles and isolated starch and protein fractions was investigated. Salt significantly ( p < 0.05) increased water absorption, stability time, and FQN. RVA and DSC revealed that salt increased peak, trough, and final viscosity, as well as transition temperatures, while reducing breakdown, setback, and enthalpy. Salts significantly ( p < 0.05) enhanced dough resistance to extension while reducing extensibility. XRD showed a slight reduction in dough crystallinity. SEM indicated a denser and more continuous network in dough and noodles. Salt significantly ( p < 0.05) improved yellowness and cooking time while reducing the lightness, redness, and cooking loss. TPA demonstrated that salt significantly ( p < 0.05) improved textural properties. Sensory evaluation revealed an improvement in overall acceptability, while oil uptake was significantly ( p < 0.05) reduced. Salts increased all transition temperatures while reducing enthalpy, whereas relative crystallinity remained unchanged. Dry gluten content and extensibility decreased with salt addition, but gluten index and resistance to extension improved. FTIR showed a slight increase in β‐sheets and β‐turns upon salt addition. These findings suggest that salt ready‐mix can effectively improve dough and noodles.