Abstract: In order to improve the water-holding capacity of dough and reduce water migration during freezing process, the effect of 34 food additives on water-holding capacity of frozen dough was explored by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). For fermented dough, top five food additives that could improve the water-holding capacity were DATEM, guar gum, SSL, VC and sodium tripolyphosphate, which could increase deep bound water percentage in dough from 19.29% to 28.66%, 25.80%, 25.10%, 24.90% and 23.86%, respectively. For unfermented dough, top five food additives that could improve the water-holding capacity were hexametaphosphate, VC, guar gum, CMC and sodium tripolyphosphate, which could increase deep bound water percentage in dough from 17.27% to 23.80%, 23.35%, 23.16%, 23.07% and 22.84%, respectively.

Key words: frozen dough, water-holding capacity, additives, deep bound water