Antistaling process and agent

Abstract

The staling of leavened baked products such as bread is retarded by adding an enzyme with exoamylase activity to the flour or dough used for producing the baked product in question.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a process for retarding the staling of bread and similar baked products, as well as an agent for use in the process.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONStaling of baked products, principally bread, has been ascribed to certain properties of the starch component of flour. Starch is essentially composed of amylose forming the core of starch granules and amylopectin forming the outer "envelope" of starch granules. Starch suspensions have been observed to retrograde on standing to precipitate the amylose which, by some, has been given as the explanation of the phenomenon of staling. Others have explained staling of bread in terms of the amylopectin chains in starch associating to cause a greater rigidity of the bread crumb which is characteristic of stale bread.It is generally recognized to be of some commercial importance to retard the staling of baked products so as to improve their shelf-life. Retardation of the staling process may, for insta...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a new approach to prevent crumb gumminess in bread caused by excessive use of α-amylase. Instead of using an enzyme that breaks down starch into branched dextrins, an exoamylase enzyme is used that prevents staling without causing other negative side effects. The use of exoamylase also avoids the softness and stickiness often encountered when using α-amylases for antistaling. The exoamylase enzyme can be added to flour or dough used for producing baked products, or it can be provided as a pre-mix or an agent for improving the quality of leavened baked products.

Problems solved by technology

The use of .alpha.-amylase for retarding the staling of bread has, however, not become widespread.

The reason for this is assumed to be that the medium-molecular weight branched compounds, termed maltodextrins (with 20-100 glucose units in the molecule), generated through the hydrolytic action of .alpha.-amylases have a sticky consistency in themselves resulting in the formation of a sticky or gummy crumb, and consequently an unacceptable mouthfeel, of the baked product if the .alpha.-amylase is overdosed so that the maltodextrins are present in excessive quantities.