Chemical-Leavened Bakery Products

Bakery Products. Sorbates are used in and/or on yeast-raised and chemically leavened bakery products. The internal use of sorbates in yeast-raised products at one-fourth the amount of calcium—sodium propionate that is normally added provides a shelf life equal to that of propionate without adversely affecting the yeast fermentation. Sorbates added at one-tenth the propionate level reduce the mix time by 30% (126). This internal treatment combined with an external spray of potassium sorbate can provide the same or an increased shelf life of pan breads, hamburger and hot-dog buns, English muffins, brown-and-serve roUs, and tortillas. The total sorbate useful in or on these baked goods ranges from 0.03 wt % for pan breads to 0.5 wt % for tortillas 0.2—0.3 wt % sorbic acid protects chemically leavened yellow and chocolate cakes (127). Emit-pie fillings and icings can be protected with 0.03—0.1 wt % sorbates. 

Wheat is the only cereal that possesses functional gluten. The flour, upon hydration and the mechanical work of mixing, forms a cohesive and elastic dough suited for production of yeast-leavened breads, chemical-leavened bakery goods, and pasta (Pomeranz 1988, Kulp and Ponte 2000, Owens 2001). Hard wheats are preferred for production of yeast-leavened breads, whereas soft wheats are used in the manufacture of chemically-leavened products such as muffins, cookies, and cakes. Durum wheats are almost exclusively used for the manufacture of long and short pasta products (Fabriani and Lintas 1988). 

According to end use, wheat is classified as soft, hard, and durum. The first two classes are almost always dry-milled into refined flour for the manufacturing of fermented and chemical-leavened bakery products such as breads, cakes, crackers, cookies, and flour tortillas (Figure 1.8). Durums are dry-milled into coarse refined meals called semolina, ideally suited for manufacturing of long and short pasta products. Rye flour is usually mixed with wheat flour for the production of fermented breads including sour breads, especially in Germany, Poland, Ukraine, and other European countries. 

The flour is used for the production of chemically leavened bakery items such as cookies, hot cakes, muffins, biscuits, wafers, and coffee cakes, or chemically leavened donuts. 

Potassium sorbate (C HyKOj) An antimycotic chemical agent that is the potassium salt of sorbic acid. It is widely used as a preservative in chemical-leavened bakery products. In yeast-leavened products, it is not used because it inhibits yeast activity. 

Sodium bicarbonate (NaHC03> A chemical-leavening agent, commonly known as baking soda, with a pH of approximately 8.5 in a 1% solution. It functions with food-grade phosphates and other acidic leavening agents to release carbon dioxide necessary for the production of leavened bakery products. 

TABLE 17.8 Nutritional and Chemical Composition of Selected Yeast-Leavened Bakery Products (100 g).592... 

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