Baking improver - what is it Types, names and composition

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Studying the composition of bakery products, you can stumble upon such a component as a baking improver. What is it and why is it added? Its use causes a lot of controversy among buyers. Why do you need a bread improver, what is it, what is its effect on the body and which of the possible options is better to choose, is indicated in this article.

General information

Improvers for bakery production are special components that improve the quality of bakery products and are added to flour or ready-made dough. In their origin, they can be both biological and chemical. Many amateur bakers believe that bread improvers and food additives are interchangeable ingredients. In fact, this is not the case, and each of them is a completely independent group.

Why businesses are turning to improvers

Very often people complain about the addition of improving ingredients to baked goods. As a rule, they simply do not understand why manufacturers used to do without these additives and why it is simply impossible to avoid now. The catch lies in the change in the quality indicators of flour. Now there is a huge share of flour with low baking properties on the market. It is also oversaturated with extraneous microflora. So, in order for the buyer to receive bread of the highest quality, manufacturers have to resort to adding baking improvers. It is worth noting that the percentage of use of this additive among bakery giants is much lower compared to small enterprises. The reason for this outcome of events lies in the fact that private industries do not have sufficient capacity and technical equipment to use starter cultures, sourdough and other semi-finished products in their work. But small bakeries buy flour in small quantities, and therefore its quality often reaches a higher level, which excludes the use of improving components.

Views

There are five types of bread improvers. What is it?

1. Oxidative. The main representatives of this species are ascorbic acid, calcium peroxide and others.
2. Recovery. In this case, we are talking about sodium thiosulfate and elcysteine.
3. Enzymatic.
4. Complex. Include several components in their composition.
5. SAW. Here it is intended to applyemulsifiers.

Also, manufacturers can add stabilizers and other additives to improve the quality of the foam.

Oxidative enhancers

The main representatives of this species are:

• perborates;
• bromates;
• oxygen;
• azodicarbonamide;
• potassium iodates.

The primary reason for their use is the ability of oxidative enhancers to improve protein and proteinase performance. Using these components, the manufacturer provides himself with better flour, which makes the dough airy and whole. For hearth bread, they are real saviors, as they limit its vagueness. Another ability of such improvers is the ability to whiten the crumb of baked goods.

Restorative Enhancers

Dough properties can also be improved with restorative components. The reason for their use is considered to be excessively strong gluten. It will also be effective if the gluten breaks short. As a result, bakers get more voluminous bread. It also becomes more elastic and looser. And what is important, the surface of the finished product is not subject to cracks and gusts. The composition of the restorative-type bread improvers usually includes:

• glutathione;
• wheat gluten;
• sodium thiosulfate;
• cysteine.

The most common improving component of this type is dry wheat gluten. It favorably affects the creation of bakery products from flour with insufficient gluten content. Without it, the manufacture of the following finished products is not complete:

• puff buns;
• frozen type semi-finished products;
• bread for people with diabetes;
• bran bread.

Modified starch has a miraculous effect on increasing the volume of finished products. Its presence in the composition also contributes to the porosity, elasticity and greater bleaching of bakery products. The most important advantage of using this baking improver (what it is, you already know) manufacturers attribute its beneficial effect on increasing the shelf life of finished products.

Enzyme preparations

The primary reason for their use is the acceleration of biochemical processes occurring during fermentation. Thanks to this property, producers have a unique opportunity to create large volumes of bread in the shortest possible time. The most common both in Russia and abroad are preparations based on amylolytic and proteolytic components.

By adding an enzyme preparation to the dough, the baker will get a more voluminous bakery product. It should be remembered that such an improvement should be carried out in an optimal amount. It is the competent observance of proportions that makes it possible for bakeries to receive morestructured, porous and tender crumb. The taste, aroma and external indicators of the finished product also begin to "play with new colors." In Russia, such amylolytic drugs as Amilosubtilin and Amilorizin are on open sale. It should be noted that this kind of enzymes are often added to rye m alt. It is also found in m alt extracts.

In addition to amylotics, the use of lipolytics is practiced in Russia.

Complex or combined improvers

The essence of the use of these additives lies in the desire of the manufacturer:

• make more efficient the technological process of creating bakery products;
• stabilize the quality of bread produced;
• increase the biochemical ability of the yeast used;
• increase the shelf life of the final product.

This type of improver got its name due to the fact that it usually consists of two to four components. They are produced both in powders and in the form of a paste or syrup. If the baker is faced with the fact that the flour he uses is characterized by low elasticity of gluten, he should give preference to the following options for complex baking improvers:

• "Orbit",
• "Bravo",
• "Ogat".

The top supplements of this type are "Panifarin" and "Mazhimix". What is it - "Panifarin"? improverbakery natural origin. It is great for all types of flour. Most often it is added to flour with a low level of gluten. The composition of such a baking improver as "Panifarin" includes: gluten (wheat gluten) and rapidly swelling flour, enzymes. If there is too little protein in the flour, then the addition of "Panifarin" will definitely correct the situation.

"Mazhimix" as a baking improver is used to increase the shelf life of the finished product. Its main active ingredients are amylases, fatty acids, calcium carbonates and wheat flour. This additive can often be found in the compositions of loaves, croissants and muffins.

In addition to the above additives, such imported improvers as Sovital-Mix, Forex, Fortsch-Rit are available for purchase in Russia.

SAW

In this case we are talking about surfactants, or, in other words, food emulsifiers. Thus, it becomes clear that the basis of this additive is a chemical compound. Here we are talking about such improvers as "Lux", "Effect" and "Lecitox".

Apply them in the following cases:

1. If necessary, strengthen the structure of the test.
2. To improve fermentation.
3. For the purpose of better molding of dough pieces.

By adding the required amount of surfactants to the dough, the baker gets a more voluminous product with a uniform and thin crust and porouscrumb.

What is azodicarbonamide?

Recently, there has been a heated discussion in the media about the addition of such an improver as azodicarbonamide to bakery products. People were struck by the fact that it can be found both in the composition of bread, and in yoga mats or in the sole of a shoe. There is an opinion that it negatively affects the state of the human body. In this regard, in the EU it is classified as prohibited, while in America its use is absolutely free. So, almost all fast food buns are made using azidicarbonamide.

According to a number of studies, this improver (it is used almost everywhere in the baking business) negatively affects the functioning of the respiratory tract. Now, for this reason, its use in its pure form in Russia is prohibited. But as an additional component of a complex improver, it is often found. Thus, according to SanPiN, this component is not completely prohibited, but only limited in large volumes. Thus, when choosing bread, one should look at its composition, and if this component is present, it is recommended to refuse such a product. Perhaps one loaf of bread will not affect the he alth of an adult in any way, but it is better not to risk your life. Moreover, the assortment of bakery products in modern stores is simply huge.