Crumb firming kinetics of wheat breads with anti-staling additives

Single effects of and interactions among flour type, breadmaking process and anti-staling additives-monoglycerides, diacetyl tartaric ester of monoglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate, carboxymethylcellulose and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and alpha-amylase-on crumb firmness during storage were estimated by fitting Avrami equations. Effects of additives were highly dependent on both the flour type and the breadmaking process used. Highly significant correlations between fresh bread crumb firmness and crumb firmness at any storage time were found. The Gluten Index of unfermented doughs was a good indicator for fresh bread crumb firmness and influenced firming kinetic parameters. Ionic surfactants, hydrocolloids and alpha-amylose increased the Gluten Index, and significantly interacted with both the flour type and the breadmaking process used. The Avrami exponent was correlated significantly with Amylogram parameters related to the formation of lipid-starch complex. Changes in specific volume by additive incorporation largely explained effects on crumb firming kinetics. (C) 1998 Academic Press.