Improvers and mixes

The different demands made on the quality of the baked goods, the raw materials and the processing parameters require the use of specially designed improvers and mixes. When selecting the improvers, it is considered, among other things, that a rapid rise in core temperature and rapid starch gelatinization occur during the baking process with small scaling weights and flat baked goods. Therefore, soft baked goods mostly require other improvers than toast and sandwich bread. 

Due to the high amounts of fat and sugar in doughs for certain soft baked goods, less water is available for the starch during the baking process. As a result, starch gelatinization takes place with delay. You can influence this by means of the recipe composition and the choice of improver and, in this way, adjust the softkeeping and crumb stability as desired. The selection, dosage and combination of emulsifiers and enzymes in the improvers in particular influence the texture, softness, elasticity and freshkeeping of the baked goods.

The following ingredients have a particular effect on the dough and baked goods:

The emulsifiers contained influence the crumb texture and the freshkeeping due to the interaction with gluten, fats and starch. The emulsifiers cause the formation of a particularly large number of fine gas bubbles which are finely distributed in the dough. A fine and soft crumb develops. In addition, the emulsifiers delay the recrystallization of the starch and, in this way, enable an extended soft- and freshkeeping. The following emulsifiers are used:

• mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 471)
• mono- and diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 472e)
• sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (E 481)
• calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate (E 482)

Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (SSL) and calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate (CSL) are particularly effective in soft baked goods. Combinations of emulsifiers have also proven successful in improvers for soft baked goods.

Various hydrocolloids are used to bind free water in the dough and for general dough stabilization. The most common are guar gum (E 412) and carboxymethyl cellulose (E 466). Dough stabilization is particularly important for brioche baked goods with high gross dough yields. However, if the hydrocolloids are not provided with sufficient water, they tend to cause rather dry baked goods properties.

If particularly light-coloured crumbs are required for toast, sandwich bread or soft rolls, enzyme-active soya flour is used. The carotenoids inherent to the flour are oxidised by the lipoxygenases contained in the soya flour and, in this way, lighten the crumb colour of the baked goods. In addition, the gluten is strengthened, which helps to improve dough stability.

Enzyme-active bean flour is sometimes used as an alternative to soya flour. However, the dosage is higher due to the lower lightening effect of the crumb colour. Application amounts above 3 % have a negative sensory impact.

L-cysteine (E 920) is sometimes used to achieve doughs with good extensibility and optimum flow behaviour. In addition, ascorbic acid (E 300) is used. The ascorbic acid provides a stabilization of the gluten structure and thus a better gas retention capacity. This increases fermentation stability and volume of the baked goods.

Enzyme combinations that enhance the freshkeeping are used for soft baked goods. The freshkeeping effects are primarily based on the dextrinization of the starch, i.e. the splitting of starch chains into shorter fragments (dextrins). If a large proportion of the starch is broken down into dextrins, these starch molecules cannot recrystallise.