Thermostable Protease for Bakery Short Bite
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bakery products face challenges in maintaining freshness and texture, particularly in achieving a desirable short bite and texture parameters, due to the limitations and risks associated with the use of proteases, which can weaken dough and increase stickiness, and require strict control of fermentation conditions.
Innovation Solution
The use of intermediate or thermostable serine or metallo-proteases with a temperature optimum higher than 60°C, such as Thermus aquaticus (Taq) protease, Thermitase, or Subtilisin, which are added to the flour to improve the short bite of bakery products without adverse effects on dough rheology or crumb structure, measured by a texture analyzer or sensory panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional proteases are added to improve short bite, then the short bite is improved, but the dough is weakened and stickiness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the protease from room temperature (25-40°C) to high temperature (60-80°C optimum). This parameter change ensures the protease remains inactive during dough preparation and fermentation, preventing dough weakening, and only activates during baking when heat is applied, thus improving short bite without compromising dough stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The high-temperature protease acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between maintaining dough integrity during processing and achieving improved short bite. It remains dormant during dough handling (intermediary state) and only activates when thermal conditions permit, mediating between the conflicting requirements of dough stability and short bite improvement.
2Strength
If proteases are added to improve short bite, then the short bite is improved, but strict control of fermentation conditions is required
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the temperature optimum parameter of the protease to 60-80°C, the patent eliminates the need for strict control of fermentation conditions. The protease remains inactive during fermentation at typical temperatures (25-40°C) and only activates during baking, simplifying the overall process control requirements while maintaining short bite improvement.
3Strength
If emulsifiers and monoglycerides are used to improve short bite, then the short bite is improved, but specific labelling with E-numbers is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a natural protease enzyme (from Aspergillus oryzae or Bacillus subtilis) that decomposes after serving its function during baking, replacing the need for persistent chemical emulsifiers and monoglycerides. This biological approach eliminates the need for E-number labelling while achieving the same short bite improvement effect.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
These proteases enhance the force and total work needed to break a bakery product by at least 10%, improving the short bite and maintaining the freshness and organoleptic properties of bakery products, while avoiding the drawbacks of traditional proteases, such as dough weakening and stickiness.
Implementation Method 1
Proteases have a long history of use in the baking sector. They are mostly used by the baker to reduce mechanical dough development requirements of unusually strong or tough gluten. They reduce the consistency of the dough, decreasing the farinograph value. They lower the viscosity and increase the extensibility of the dough.
Implementation Method 2
The proteases most used in baking are from Aspergillus oryzae and Bacillus subtilis. The neutral bacterial proteases are by far more active on gluten than the alkaline proteases.
Data Source
Figure 1~1a
Figure 1b
Figure 2~2b
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for the improvement of the short bite and texture parameters of bakery products by adding thereto at least one intermediate thermostable or thermostable serine or metallo- protease.