Honey induces changes in the molecular structure and microstructure of gluten in wheat-rye sourdoughs.

This article investigates the impact of honey, a natural source of glucose oxidase (GOX), on the molecular structure and microstructure of gluten proteins in wheat-rye sourdoughs fermented by different lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains. Honey was shown to produce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) via GOX activity, promoting disulfide crosslinking and altering gluten secondary structures by increasing random coils initially and later enhancing β-sheet content during fermentation. LAB strains effectively acidified the honey-supplemented sourdoughs, inducing gluten hydrolysis, while honey’s oxidizing effect mitigated excessive gluten degradation, particularly with L. fermentum CRL220. The study concludes that honey can serve as a clean-label alternative to chemical oxidizers and purified enzymes in sourdough baking by improving gluten network formation and potentially enhancing dough functionality.