Regularities of the Structure Formation Process in Complex Food Systems During Mixing

An integrated information–energy framework is proposed for assessing boundary kinematic interactions and viscoelastic structure formation during wheat dough mixing in a novel polyhedral chamber. The approach couples spatial boundary velocity fields with non-equilibrium viscous energy dissipation evaluated via thixotropic hysteresis loops. Experimental viscometric measurements conducted at T = 28 °C demonstrated that progressive structural homogenization reduces specific power input from 5143.7 → 4510.2 W/m3, representing a 12.3% energy reduction under investigated operating regimes. Evaluation of thixotropic energy dissipation established an optimal gluten network structuralization time at τ = 3.6 min, which shortens the mixing cycle by 14% compared to conventional processing without inducing overmixing degradation. A generalized Maxwell constitutive model with a distributed relaxation spectrum was calibrated against experimental flow curves, demonstrating high predictive accuracy (R2 > 0.92, agreement exceeding 90%). The proposed framework establishes a quantitative bridge between boundary shear kinematics, macromolecular gluten preservation, and processing energy efficiency, providing a physically sound foundation for designing high-performance mixing equipment.