Bread Improver

By:  ARNEL A. MAYO (Sept. 10, 2004)

What is a Bread Improver?  How do these affect the dough and the finished product?

These are two common questions asked by baker's when trying to use the ingredient.  The word itself already explains the functions, which is to improve the bread but the question is, how?

Bread Improver is an ingredient composed mainly of the following:

• Oxidants

• Reductants

• Enzymes

• Emulsifiers

• Yeast Nutrients

• Soya Flour

Bread Improver is a powdery substance, typically white in color and texture that is added to the flour mixture.  It aides the dough during its development stage to produce a quality bread.  It has many variations though its most basic and general functions are given below;

• It greatly improves loaf/bread volume.

• It greatly improves crumb structure and texture of the loaf.

• It aides the dough development.

• Reduces the rate of crumb firming and bread staling.

• Gas retention of the dough is greatly improved.

• Dough machineability is greatly improved.

• Improve dough tolerance to mechanical shock during mixing and mold figuring.

• It helps speed up dough development.

Aside from the General Purpose Bread Improver, there are other additives that may be incorporated such as Dough Conditioner, Dough Softener and Anti-Mold or sold separately and not mixed or incorporated.

There are many different types and brands of Bread Improver in the Philippine market.  It is up to baker/user/owner to find one that is suitable for his own requirements.

Bread making does not necessarily states to use a Bread Improver, but using one will definitely place the baked products ahead of the rest in terms of quality and most of all, the volume/texture desired.

Psychologically, there are a few baker's/owner's who tends to shy away from this ingredient due to its expensive price or as an additional expense to the dough and finished product.  These mentality should be avoided, rather, go back to the basics of bread costing.  It should be noted that the percentage contribution of General Purpose Bread Improver into the flour mixture is almost only 0.4% of the total flour weight being produced.

As a general rule and a personal advice, it is always better to look for quality that will produce the desired output yet affordable or reasonably priced. 

Finally, beware of cheaply priced improver that does not produce the desired results.