ROLE OF INGREDIENTS IN BREAD MAKING

INGREDIENTS USED FOR MAKING BREAD:

1. REFINED FLOUR
2. SUGAR
3. YEAST
4. WATER
5. SALT
6. FAT
7. MILK

REFINED FLOUR:

• Flour is the principal ingredient for bread and other bakery products.
• Flour gives the structure to the bread.
• Flour in good condition should have a creamy white color.
• Flour should have a pleasant smell and slightly sweetish taste.
• Composition of flour:

• Flour contains soluble and insoluble proteins. Soluble proteins are useful in providing nourishment to yeast for its growth and reproduction during fermentation process.

SUGAR:

• The main function of sugar in bread making is to provide food for yeast, which in turn, produces CO2 gas, that raises the dough fabric. It also helps in enhancing the flavor of bread.
• Sugar is a hygroscopic substance, helps in retention of moisture in bread.
• It gives golden brown crust color of bread.

YEAST:

• After flour, yeast is next important ingredient for bread making.
• Bread dough are fermented basically for two reasons:-
• Production of carbon dioxide gas which gives volume to the product, &
• For maturing or conditioning the dough (gluten) so that it attains sufficient mellowness to stretch under the pressure of CO2 gas and form the structure of the product.
• Yeast is unicellular microscopic plant. It requires food (sugar), moisture and temperature climate for its growth and reproduction. Yeast multiplies by budding.
• The protoplasm of yeast contains certain enzymes by which fermentation activity of yeast is made possible.
• The following are most prominent enzymes which take part in fermentation process:
• Invertaste: convert cane sugar or sucrose into a simple form of sugar known as invert sugar which is a combination of dextrose and fructose.
• Maltase: converts maltose sugar into dextrose which is directly fermentable by yeast.
• Zymase: it is actually the specific fermenting enzyme in yeast. It attacks the invert sugar and dextrose which had been previously produced. Converting them into carbon dioxide gas & alcohol, gives a pleasant fermentation flavor.
• Protease: this enzyme has a mellowing action on flour proteins, thus conferring better stretch ability for bread to acquire volume and form structure.

Note:  without yeast, it is impossible to think of bread, buns etc. in a normal straight dough method approx: 2% salt, 2 to 3% sugar and 1 to 2 % fat, 1-2 % yeast (dry yeast about 0.5 -1%).

WATER:

• Any water which is fit to drink can be used for bread making.
• Water binds together the insoluble proteins of flour, which form gluten.
• Too much water may spoil the binding of all ingredients.

SALT:

• Salt imparts taste to bread. It has a controlling effect on yeast.
• The salt has a tightening action on flour proteins, it improves the gas retention power of the dough.
• It helps to keep the bread fresh and moist for longer time.
• The quantity of salt in a bread formula will vary between 1.25 to 2.5%, depending on the strength of flour, length of fermentation time, hardness of formula water and the level of flavor desired in the product.
• It sweet fermentation products, the salt content generally varies from 1.0 to 1.5%

FAT/OIL:

• It improves the nutritional value of bread.
• It is used in bread dough at the rate of 1 to 2%.
• In small quantities, it has lubricating effect on gluten strands, thus improving their extensibility which enables the bread to acquire good volume.
• It also helps in retention of moisture.
• Fat should be added during the last stages of mixing, if it is added in the beginning, it will hae an adverse effect on water absorption power of the flour.

MILK:

• It improves the nutritional value of bread.
• It has a beneficial effect on the physical qualities of bread.
• It has a tightening effect on flour proteins which improves the gas retention power of dough.
• It improves the flavor and taste of bread.
• Milk can be used in bread in any form – fresh, condensed, milk powder etc.

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

BREAD IMPROVERS