The impact of baking time and bread storage temperature on bread crumb properties

Two baking times (9 and 24 min) and storage temperatures (4 and 25 °C) were used to explore the impact of heat exposure during bread baking and subsequent storage on amylopectin retrogradation, water mobility, and bread crumb firming. Shorter baking resulted in less retrogradation, a less extended starch network and smaller changes in crumb firmness and elasticity. A lower storage temperature resulted in faster retrogradation, a more rigid starch network with more water inclusion and larger changes in crumb firmness and elasticity. Crumb to crust moisture migration was lower for breads baked shorter and stored at lower temperature, resulting in better plasticized biopolymer networks in crumb. Network stiffening, therefore, contributed less to crumb firmness. A negative relation was found between proton mobilities of water and biopolymers in the crumb gel network and crumb firmness. The slope of this linear function was indicative for the strength of the starch network.     

Staling of cereal bran enriched cakes and the effect of an endoxylanase enzyme on the physicochemical and sensorial characteristics

Abstract: The staling of cakes enriched with untreated brans and endoxylanase‐treated brans was evaluated by monitoring the changes in physicochemical, thermal, and sensorial properties of cakes during 7‐d storage. Oat and rice bran were treated with different levels (0, 70, and 700 ppm) of an endoxylanase enzyme and added to cakes on 30% flour weight basis. Moisture losses, water activity, crumb firmness, starch retrogradation, and sensorial characteristics were used as staling indicators. Avrami‐type equations were efficiently used for modeling the starch retrogradation kinetics, while linear models most adequately described crumb firming kinetics. Cake staling induced an increase in crumb firmness and enthalpy of amylopectin retrogradation, and a decrease in crumb moisture and sensory quality and acceptability scores of cakes. Oat bran‐containing cakes better maintained their characteristics compared to the ones containing rice bran along the 7‐d storage. Endoxylanase treatment of brans delayed the changes naturally induced during staling in crumb moisture content, amylopectin retrogradation enthalpy, and crumb firmness in the respective cakes. Deterioration of the sensorial characteristics was slower for the cakes containing endoxylanase‐treated brans, as well. The level of endoxylanase treatment did not differentiate significantly (P < 0.05) any of the staling indicators. Overall, this study demonstrated that addition of endoxylanase‐treated brans can result in cakes with improved nutritional characteristics and increased shelf life. Practical Application: The results of the study show the potential of using enzymes to modify underutilized food sources that can be properly incorporated in baked goods, improving their nutritional value, their quality characteristics, and providing longer shelf life. The developed procedure and results can be utilized by the bakery industry to make high fiber and low cost bakery products with improved sensorial characteristics that are appealing to the consumers.     

The effect of par‐baking and frozen storage time on the quality of cup cake

The effects of frozen storage and initial baking time of par‐baked cake on baking loss, volume, moisture, colour and textural properties of cake obtained after thawing and rebaking were investigated. Cakes, par‐baked at 175 °C for 15, 20 and 25 min, were stored at ?18 °C for 3, 6 and 9 months. After storage, par‐baked cakes were thawed and rebaked at 175 °C for 10, 15 and 20 min. Baking loss, moisture content, L and +b colour values, firmness, gumminess and chewiness of the resulting full‐baked cakes were significantly affected by both par‐baking and frozen storage time, while specific volume, cohesiveness, springiness and resilience values were significantly affected by frozen storage time. The increase in the time of frozen storage of the par‐baked cake leads to a decrease in the quality of the rebaked cake, namely an increase of baking loss and cake crumb firmness, and a loss in the moisture content and specific volume. Moisture of cake crumb, L and +b colour values, firmness, gumminess and chewiness significantly increased as the par‐baking time increased. However, regarding baking loss, specific volume, moisture content and textural properties, 3‐month intermediate storage at ?18 °C and 20‐min initial baking time gave the best result among the cakes produced by using the two‐step baking procedure.     

Effect of baking method on some characteristics of starch in pound cake crumbs

BACKGROUND: The effect of the baking process (microwave versus conventional oven) on some starch characteristics of pound cake was evaluated. Proximal chemical analysis, total resistant starch (RS), retrograded resistant starch (RS3), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) were evaluated. Pound cake, one of the major products of Mexico's bread industry, was selected for analysis because the high moisture and fat content in the beaten dough might reduce the quality defects often associated with microwave baking. RESULTS: Crumbs from microwave‐baked pound cakes contained lower moisture than crumbs from conventionally baked pound cake. Lower RS was observed in fresh microwave‐baked than conventionally baked pound cake. RS3 increased significantly in conventionally baked products stored for 8 days at room temperature, whereas slightly lower changes in RS3 were observed in the microwaved product. DSC revealed less gelatinisation in microwaved pound cake which is related to limited water availability during the microwave heating process. The crystallinity peaks present in conventionally baked pound cake might be associated with RS3 content; the resistant retrograded starch formed during storage, is reflected in the XRD pattern. CONCLUSION: Microwave‐baked pound cake crumbs showed less gelatinisation than conventionally baked pound cake crumbs. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

Factors affecting the staling of madeira slab cake

Cake staling, which is associated with changes in crumb firmness and moistness, has been shown to be related to two basic processes occurring in the crumb. These are an intrinsic firming process of the cell-wall material of the crumb and the macroscopic migration of moisture from the central areas of the crumb to the dryer crust regions. The intrinsic firming process of the cell-wall material of cake crumb is similar in character to that of breadcrumb and starch gels at temperatures up to 21°C. At higher temperatures it shows a significant deviation from the Avrami-type polymer crystallisation kinetics used to describe the firming of starch gels and breadcrumb. The macroscopic migration of moisture is responsible for a secondary firming process which continues for periods of up to 5 weeks at ambient temperatures. It may also be responsible for the loss of moist-eating quality in cake crumb.     

Bread staling: I.—Experimental study

Starting with a typical baker's dough, a model system was constructed in order to examine whether moisture re-distributed itself between the two principal components, gluten and starch, of crumb during ageing. Separation of the components of dough was achieved by ultra-centrifugation. It was estimated that up to 30% of the moisture associated with the gluten fraction, migrated to the starch during 120 h of storage of the baked system at 25°c. The rate of migration decreased approximately exponentially with time. Moisture from the gluten was also found to migrate to the starch during baking, but at an accelerated rate. The rate of moisture migration in the model system, both at 100 and 25°c, was consistent with a diffusion-controlled process involving migration of the gluten-released moisture to the gluten-starch interface. Experimental results show that staling of bread involves (in addition to the generally accepted retrogradation of the starch) an irreversible modification in the water structure of the gluten, leading to the formation of labile water, which becomes available for absorption by the incompletely gelatinised starch. Since the gluten forms the continuous matrix of the crumb, the modification results in a rigidification or firming process.     

The use of normal and heat-treated barley flour and waxy barley starch as anti-staling agents in laboratory and industrial baking processes

Normal and heat-treated barley, both as flour and waxy starch, were added at a concentration of 3% to a white wheat bread. The effect not only of selected additives, but also of laboratory- and industrial baking processes on stalling was evaluated. Laboratory baked breads with heat-treated barley flour differed from control breads with regard to water content, firmness and amylopectin retrogradation. The influence of water content on firmness increased with storage time. All laboratory baked breads with barley additives, except normal barley flour, were less firm after 7 days of storage as compared to the control although amylopectin retrogradation tended to increase. Improved water absorption, and consequently, increased water content and/or different water binding capacities of the flour/starch could explain these results. Industrial baking caused higher water losses, especially in breads containing additives, thus reducing the effects on amylopectin retrogradation and firmness.     

Effect of frozen storage time on the bread crumb and aging of par-baked bread

The effect of frozen storage time of par-baked bread on the bread crumb and staling of bread obtained after thawing and full baking is described. The moisture content, hardness and retrogradation enthalpy of the amylopectin were determined in the par-baked bread and in the full baked bread after 7, 14, 28 and 42 days of frozen storage at −25 °C. In addition, the effect of frozen storage on the crumb microstructure was analyzed by cryo scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM). The moisture content of both partially and full baked bread decreased with the time of frozen storage. The crumb hardness of the par-baked bread after different periods of frozen storage was kept constant, while that of their full baked counterpart increased with the time of frozen storage. In both types of breads, the enthalpy of amylopectin retrogradation did not vary with the period of frozen storage. The staling, measured as hardness increase and amylopectin retrogradation, increased along the frozen storage. The changes observed on the frozen par-baked bread after thawing were attributed to the damage of bread structures produced by the ice crystallization, and the microstructure study support that conclusion.     

Quality and textural behaviour of par-baked and rebaked cake during prolonged storage

The effect of par-baking and refrigerator storage on the quality of cake was investigated. Quality evaluation of rebaked cakes was performed by using physical, chemical and instrumental texture profile analysis. Cakes were par-baked for 15, 20 and 25 min at 175 °C and then they were stored at refrigerator temperature (4 °C) for 30, 60 and 90 days, wrapped with two polyethylene bags. After storage, par-baked cakes were rebaked at 175 °C and were subjected to analysis. Par-baking and intermediate storage time had a significant effect on baking loss, crumb moisture content, colour, symmetry index and textural properties of cake. The increase in the par-baking time led to a decrease in the baking loss and an increase in the moisture content of cake. Specific volume, moisture content, L colour value and symmetry index significantly decreased with increasing intermediate storage time, while baking loss significantly increased. However, regarding the crumb hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, gumminess and chewiness, the results indicated that the best result was obtained when cakes were baked for 15 min at the par-baking stage. Overall, the cakes became firmer, less cohesive and less dry crumb as the intermediate storage time increased, whereas springiness increased.     

Evaluation of different types of fats for use in high-ratio layer cakes

Shortening is a major ingredient used in high-ratio layer cakes. Plastic shortenings are the most commonly used by the U.S. baking industry. However, the high levels of trans- or saturated fats in some plastic shortenings cause health concerns. Compared to plastic shortenings, liquid shortenings could significantly reduce the dependence on high melting point fats and the emulsifiers they contain would enhance the shortening’s functionality. The objective of this research was to compare the influence of different types of fats on the texture and shelf-life of high-ratio layer cakes. Cakes were baked with soybean oil to evaluate the function of three emulsifiers [propylene glycol monostearate (PGMS), glycerol monostearate (GMS), and Lecithin] on layer cake quality, including volume, cake score, and firmness. An optimum emulsifier combination was chosen (PGMS 1.8, GMS 1.0, and Lecithin 0.8 in g/100g flour) for addition to the liquid oil. Four groups of layer cakes were baked using: plastic shortening, liquid shortening, liquid oil, or liquid oil plus emulsifier combinations. Cake performance and firming over-time were evaluated. The liquid shortening provided the best fresh cake characteristics and cake firmness performance. Liquid oil with a combination of added emulsifiers performed very similarly in terms of firmness to the liquid shortening. This indicated that emulsifiers played an important role on the improvement of cake firmness shelf-life.     

Combined Effects of Baking Conditions and Bacterial α-Amylases on Staling Kinetics of Degassed and Porous Bread Crumb

Enzymes such as ??-amylase are extensively used to retard the staling process. Enzymes are acting both during fermentation and during baking. The objective of this work was to determine the relative action of ??-amylase during fermentation and during baking. The impact of the baking conditions (time, temperature) was also considered. To attain this aim, a degassed bread crumb was baked in a miniaturized system using two programs of baking: heating rates 10.27 and 6.88?°C/min corresponding to 180 and 220?°C baking temperatures, respectively. Mechanical and thermodynamic properties of the degassed crumb were assessed during aging of bread by determining the Young??s modulus E, the amount of freezable water, and the melting enthalpy of retrograded amylopectin. A first-order kinetic model was used to determine the different parameters of staling kinetics. Results showed that the hardening of crumb increased during storage. The kinetics were faster for samples baked with fast heating rate than for those baked with slow heating rates. The use of enzymes decreased the Young??s modulus but did not have any effect on the staling rate. Calorimetric analysis of the starch retrogradation showed a reduction of the amount of freezable water during storage with an increase of retrograded amylopectin. A comparison between mechanical properties of conventional crumb and of the degassed dough confirmed that experimental data fitted correctly the Gibson and Ashby??s model.     

Optimization of microwave baking of model layer cakes

 Response surface methodology was used to optimize the formulation of microwave-baked cakes. The independent variables were water content, emulsifier content baking time, oven power, shortening content and starch type. The quality factors evaluated were specific gravity of batter and volume index, uniformity index and tenderness of the crumb. Constraints for quality factors were obtained by conventional baking of American Association of Cereal Chemists high-ratio cake formulation. Multiple contour plots showed the optimum region for various water and shortening combinations at different emulsifier, time and power levels. Cakes formulated with wheat starch, containing 0.3% polysorbate 60, 133.7% water and 45.2% shortening (flour substitute basis), baked for 6 min at 100% power yielded acceptable cakes that can compete with conventionally baked cakes. Rice and corn cakes had lower quality than conventionally baked high-ratio cakes. Power was found to be the most efficient independent variable affecting all the dependent variables. Received: 26 August 1999 / Revised version: 11 October 1999     

Effect of different carbohydrases on fresh bread texture and bread staling

The effect of cellulase, xylanase and #-glucanase on the properties of wheat bread and its staling during storage was studied. The presence of the carbohydrases tested led to breads with high specific volume compared to the control. The texture profile analysis was greatly modified in that the firmness of bread crumb was reduced by all the carbohydrases. A kinetic study of the firmness along with the storage by the Avrami equation showed that the presence of carbohydrases produced softer crumbs and also reduced the rate of bread firming, although no great differences were found between enzymes. Since retrogradation of starch is one of most important factors related to bread staling, the modification of the amylopectin retrogradation was measured by scanning calorimetry. Those studies showed that all the carbohydrases decrease the starch retrogradation, and that the xylanases had the greatest effect. The simultaneous analysis of the firming and starch retrogradation results revealed that the anti-staling effect of xylanase might be due to the retardation in the starch retrogradation, while in the case of cellulase and #-glucanase some other mechanism should be implied in their anti-staling action.     

Comparison of crumb microstructure from pound cakes baked in a microwave or conventional oven

Imaging, light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to compare the microstructure of crumbs from pound cakes baked in a microwave or conventional oven. The microwave baking conditions for pound cake (240 W, 5 min) were established in previous research, conventional baked pound cakes were obtained using a swing oven at 180 °C for 40 min. Statistical differences in total cell, cell/cm² and mean cell area (P?0.05) were observed in the image analysis. Cells from microwaved pound cake crumbs were 20% larger. However, factor shape was 0.81 for both microwave and conventionally baked crumbs, and crumbs from both oven types were similar in appearance. Light microscopy revealed birefringence in crumbs from both types of pound cakes. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the conventionally baked product had a greater amount of protein matrix however; the matrix structure of the crumb was comparable between microwave-baked and conventionally baked pound cakes. In conclusion, our results suggest that the unique aspects of pound cake dough, including its high content of fat, sugar and moisture, make it well suited to microwave baking.     

Starch affecting anti-staling agents and their function in freestanding and pan-baked bread

Anti-staling agents with different mechanisms were added to a normal white wheat bread to investigate the relation between bread staling, amylopectin retrogradation and water-related properties (i.e. water content and distribution between crumb and crust). Bread was baked both as pan-baked and freestanding loaves. The anti-staling agents maltogenic α-amylase, distilled monoglyceride and lipase had a direct influence on starch retrogradation, whereas gluten and waxy wheat flour diluted the amylopectin content or changed the ratio between amylose and amylopectin. The degree of staling was measured as the firmness and springiness, together with two new methods, crumbliness and cutability. In addition, the degrees of amylopectin retrogradation and amylose–lipid complex formation were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry, and the water content, water loss and water migration were measured. The addition of α-amylase improved most staling parameters, although the changes were not as large as expected. Furthermore, monoglyceride and lipase increased the formation of amylose–lipid complexes, but only lipase gave better results regarding the specific volume and firmness. Increased amylose–lipid complex formation was seen to increase water migration from crumb to crust. Adding 10% waxy wheat flour appeared to lead to a slight overall improvement i.e. lower water migration and better cutability. Adding gluten or 3% waxy wheat flour only improved the specific volume. The method of baking the loaves, i.e. freestanding or pan-baked, had a greater influence than the anti-staling agents, which shows that bread quality is not always improved by starch affecting anti-staling agents without process changes.     

Wheat starch structure–function relationship in breadmaking: A review

Bread dough and bread are dispersed systems consisting of starch polymers that interact with other flour components and added ingredients during processing. In addition to gluten proteins, starch impacts the quality characteristics of the final baked product. Wheat starch consists of amylose and amylopectin organized into alternating semicrystalline and amorphous layers in granules that vary in size and are embedded in the endosperm protein matrix. Investigation of the molecular movement of protons in the dough system provides a comprehensive insight into granular swelling and amylose leaching. Starch interacts with water, proteins, amylase, lipids, yeast, and salt during various stages of breadmaking. As a result, the starch polymers within the produced crumb and crust, together with the rate of retrogradation and staling due to structural reorganization, moisture migration, storage temperature, and relative humidity determines the final product's textural perception. This review aims to provide insight into wheat starch composition and functionality and critically review recently published research results with reference to starch structure–function relationship and factors affecting it during dough formation, fermentation, baking, cooling, and storage of bread.     

Effect of baking conditions and storage with crust on the moisture profile,local textural properties and staling kinetics of pan bread

To investigate the impact of baking conditions on staling kinetics and mechanical properties, pan breads were baked at 180 °C/34 min and 220 °C/28.6 min using a ventilated oven and metallic moulds. After baking, bread slices were stored with and without crust at 15 °C in hermetic boxes for 9 days. This investigation provides a textural and physical analysis by examining the Young's modulus, crumb density and crust/crumb ratio during storage. In order to understand the relationship between firmness and moisture content, a moisture profile and a Young's modulus profile were determined during the storage of bread. To fit the staling, a first order model was used. It was found that the kinetics were faster for samples baked with a fast heating rate than for those baked with a slow heating rate. Moreover, the staling rate of bread stored with crust was faster than for bread without crust and the outer crust area staled more rapidly than the centre of the bread slice. These results suggest that the firming of the crumb is related to moisture distribution between the crumb and crust and to the impact of local baking conditions on local firmness.     

Baking High-Ratio White Layer Cakes with Microwave Energy

Microwave energy was evaluated as a means of baking high-ratio white-layer cakes by considering the effects of various processing conditions and amounts of ingredients. Minimal water in cakes baked with microwave energy did not result in surface collapse as with cakes baked by conventional means. As the amount of monocalcium phosphate monohydrate in the baking powder blend was increased, volume and specific volume decreased and crumb firmness and internal score increased. There was no evidence of any significant internal nor surface batter flow in the conventional cake, while in the microwave cake considerable batter flow was observed on the surface and internally in the upper central regions of the cake. Scanning electron micrograph showed differences in cell structure between both types of cake. The cells in the center of the cake baked with microwave energy were more irregular and had thicker cell walls than the conventional cake.     

Effect of freezing and frozen storage on the gelatinization and retrogradation of amylopectin in dough baked in a differential scanning calorimeter

Frozen and non-frozen dough were baked in a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) pan (heated in the calorimeter at temperatures similar to those of the center of the crumb during baking) and were aged at different temperatures. Gelatinized dough (DSC-baked dough) was heated again in the DSC. This methodology permitted us to study the effects of dough freezing and frozen storage on gelatinization and retrogradation of starch. During storage of frozen doughs at −18 °C an increase in the gelatinization enthalpy after 150 day of storage was observed. At 230 days of frozen storage a decrease in the onset temperature and an increase in the gelatinization temperature range was also detected. An increase of starch retrogradation with time of storage in frozen conditions was observed. During the aging of dough baked in DSC, a higher retrogradation temperature range was detected together with a faster retrogradation of starch at low temperature of aging.     

Fibre-rich additives--the effect on staling and their function in free-standing and pan-baked bread

BACKGROUND: The use of dietary fibre in bread products is increasing because of consumer demand for healthier products. However, an increase in dietary fibre level changes the rheological properties of the dough and also the quality properties of the final bread product. In this study, effects on dough and bread staling were followed after replacing 3% of wheat flour by fibre‐rich additives (fine durum, oat bran, rye bran and wheat bran). Free‐standing and pan‐baked loaves were baked to compare the influence of baking method and loaf shape. RESULTS: All additives increased dough stability, with oat bran giving the greatest stability and longest development time. Parameters measured during storage were distribution, migration and loss of water, cutability, crumbliness, firmness and springiness. Furthermore, amylopectin retrogradation and amylase‐lipid complex formation were assessed. Oat bran provided similar or better results than the control for all staling parameters, while other additives gave no general improvements. Cutability reached a plateau when crumb firmness was ≥ 4 N. CONCLUSION: Small amounts of fibre‐rich additives had a significant influence on staling. However, the baking method (free‐standing or pan‐baked bread) had a greater impact on staling than the additives, thus displaying the importance of the baking method. Cutability was found to be related to firmness. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry