VOLUME & TOLERANCE

On first sight of a loaf of bread, consumers assess the shape, colour and volume… And they instinctively associate a nice-looking loaf with a top-quality tasty product. The right choice of formulation is essential for optimising the fermentation process and helping dough to withstand the various mechanical stresses without damage.

PULSO SOLUTIONS

Lesaffre has thorough control over all its active ingredients (enzymes, emulsifiers and oxidants), whether pure, diluted or in formulations. They must be of the highest quality and ideal dosage strength to avoid any negative impact on dough (sticky or elastic texture). They must also be perfectly suited to the flour and baking process, while offering maximum performance and safety.

MACHINABILITY & RELAXATION

An even, nice-looking, well-formed loaf of bread is not only a guarantee of quality in the consumer’s eyes, but also the expertise of all bakers in search of ways to deal with work constraints. Pulso has thus developed a wide range of high-tech formulations to optimise the viscoelastic properties of dough and aid the shaping process.

PULSO SOLUTIONS

Lesaffre has developed several solutions to resolve machinability, extensibility and shaping problems. These include the use of deactivated yeast and L-cysteine, reducing agents that help modify the structure of the gluten network without altering the protein chains. Other solutions coupled with proteases are also developed, particularly for the production of buns and sandwich loaves.

SOFTNESS

Softness, a factor that is often associated with the idea of freshness, is important for consumers in search of soft, creamy results. To make sure that every sandwich loaf or brioche remains soft down to the last slice, PULSO has developed a range of high-tech formulations aimed at improving and prolonging the ‘softness’ properties of the loaf’s crumb.

PULSO SOLUTIONS

In order to avoid drying out and starch retrogradation, several active principles, including enzymes, emulsifiers, hydrocolloids and humectants, can be used individually, but combining them is usually the best solution.

ANTI-BLISTERING

Delayed breadmaking techniques alleviate the task for bakers, allowing them to produce crusty bread all day long. However, such processes can result in a defective crust and the appearance of blisters resulting from a lack of dough strength or greater fermentation activity on the loaf’s surface. In order to resolve these issues, Pulso has developed a comprehensive range of functional anti-blistering solutions.

PULSO SOLUTIONS

Lesaffre was the first to understand the biochemical phenomena responsible for the appearance of blisters. It therefore developed functional solutions combined with an anti-blistering formula to offer results that could be seen at every stage in the breadmaking process: extensibility, volume, freshness, preservation, etc… Several active principles, such as emulsifiers, oxidants and enzymes, can be used individually or together.

ANTI-MOULD

The appearance of mould affects moist, packaged products in particular, such as sandwich bread, brioche, and pitta bread, thereby minimising their shelf-life and sales potential. To avoid this type of contamination, Pulso has developed a range of high-tech formulations aimed at better controlled production and minimising bacterial and mould growth in bread.

PULSO SOLUTIONS

Lesaffre formulates bread improvers based on preservatives (bacteriostatic or fungistatic agents), at once optimising their efficiency but reducing their negative organoleptic impact. Backed by its in-depth knowledge of fermentation, Lesaffre also proposes devitalised sourdough, live sourdough or micro-organism cocktails aimed at improving the shelf-life of finished products without altering their taste.

ANTI-FLAKING

The flaking crust phenomenon is typical of loaves that have been frozen or deep-frozen. It is what happens when water crystallises on the surface of a loaf with a moist crumb and a drier crust. The area becomes sensitive to knocks and is exacerbated by frequent handling. When the loaf is baked off, it dries out and the crust becomes detached through the pressure of the steam. To resolve the problem, PULSO has developed a range of high-tech formulations to guarantee a perfect-looking loaf.

PULSO SOLUTIONS

Lesaffre was the first to understand the phenomena responsible for flaking crusts and to propose patented solutions in the form of bread improvers. The use of hydrocolloids and pre-gelatinised flour helps to reduce the amount of free water and the formation of ice microcrystals. The addition of emulsifiers makes the crust sufficiently soft to prevent excessive flaking.

FROZEN PROCESS BREAD IMPROVERS

Shaped and frozen dough, pre-proofed and part-baked frozen dough, and oven proofing are all techniques that rely on inhibited fermentation using negative cold temperatures at different stages in the production process.
The freezing process results in the formation of ice crystals within the dough pieces. These crystals cause physical damage to the protein structure of dough and bread, irrespective of the stage in the manufacture.
One of the resultant effects may be sticky dough leading to machinability problems.
Each of these freezing techniques can cause specific problems requiring appropriate solutions.

PULSO SOLUTIONS

The right choice of flour is vital. It is necessary to strengthen the flour to ensure proper gas retention during thawing and fermentation. This strengthening phase is especially important given the long storage time.

The levels of oxidants and gluten must be enhanced. The use of some enzymes will, for example, help promote an increase in volume in the case of baguettes without resulting in stickiness. While other enzymes will help to reduce stickiness in dough.

Some emulsifiers may also be recommended for strengthening the dough structure.

Some Pulso Frozen bread improvers are formulated using hydrocolloids as well as raw ingredients and enzymes promoting rapid browning in crusty breads.

A specific anti-flaking solution has also been developed and patented by Lesaffre for the frozen baked process.