Dough rheological properties and dynamic mechanical bread parameters have been investigated for relationships to explore the ability of dynamic analysis to characterize fresh bread quality. Rheological assessment of doughs and breads was performed by using empirical and fundamental methods at both small and large deformation. Evaluation of dough properties was carried out by texture profile analysis in static compression, uni- and bi-axial extension and gluten index. Bread crumb characteristics were studied by dynamic mechanical (DMA) and thermal analysis (TMA). Pearson correlation analysis provided a range of significant correlation coefficients (r) (from 0.48 to 0.82) for the relationships between dough static characteristics and bread dynamic and thermal properties. Negative relationships were found for thermo-mechanical bread properties (E-plt' and E-f0') and uni- and bi-axial dough extensional parameters (extensibility at rupture, strain hardening index and time of semirelaxation). Results indicate that dynamic and thermal viscoelastic parameters (f(0), E-f0' and E-plt') obtained from fundamental rheological measurements have a significant role in monitoring fresh bread quality instead of the classical mimetic methods. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.