Managing short-term and long-term bread softness without the gumminess

Detmold. (agf) In loose order the German Arbeitsgemeinschaft Getreideforschung (AGF) offers at present a few webinars to different topics, which can be converted in the daily business well and make the working life not only in times of Covid-19 simpler. On November 19, 2020 at 03:00 p.m., the webinar will deal with a topic almost as old as the production of baked goods: Managing short-term and long-term bread softness without the gumminess.

Everyday bakeries face production constraints. And at the same time, consumers want ever fresh, flavourful bread made with clean label ingredients. Not just at the moment of purchase but also during storage at home. Stale bread is the cause of a significant amount of bread returns and waste.

The molecular structure changes that occur in bread during storage which are responsible for the firming and staling phenomenon are quite complex and involve multiple constituents and mechanisms. It is generally accepted that after the initial cooling process, the retrogradation respective recrystallisation of starch, specifically of amylopectin branch chains in amylopectin, plays a major role in bread firming, but starch – gluten interactions and moisture redistribution are also known to be involved.

To stay fresh, bread needs a balanced dose of resilience and softness, without excessive gumminess. This can be achieved by a careful selection of ingredients, including enzymes, emulsifiers and water binding ingredients. When mastering the art of utilizing in synergy these ingredients it is possible to obtain a great loaf of bread and that means less waste and happier planet.

After this presentation, participants will be able to:

• Understand the mechanisms leading to bread staling and gumminess.
• Understand how different ingredients can be used to slow down bread staling and maintain softness longer with undesirable gumminess.
• Look into the future of industrial bread fresh keeping solutions based on fermentation technologies.

Speaker on November 19 is Doctor Jacinthe Côté. Dr. Côté is Director Lallemand Baking Solutions Product Management Innovation. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Science and a Master’s degree in Food Science from McGill University. In 2011, Dr. Côté completed her Ph.D. in Biology at the INRS Institute Armand – Frappier after researching the effects of juice processing on the recovery yield and preservation of cranberry bioactive compounds and properties. Throughout her career, Dr. Côté has developed a varied and comprehensive experience in food manufacturing, biotechnology and nutrition, working in clinical nutrition as a registered dietitian, in quality assurance, in technical support, research and development, communication and marketing.

The webinar will last approximately 90 minutes and takes places on November 19 at 03:00 p.m. Attendance is free of charge, registration is not necessary. The AGF has set up a meeting room at www.gotomeet.me, which will be open about 15 minutes before the webinar starts. A maximum of 250 people can participate in the webinar at the same time.