United States Patent (19) (11 3,959,496

Jackel et al. (45) May 25, 1976

(54) OXIDZING AGENT FOR MAKING BREAD 3,052,560 971962 Delaney................................ 426/99
3,304, 183 2/1967 Johnston et al....................... 426/25
(75) Inventors: Simon S. Jackel, Westport, Conn.; 3,666,486 5/1972 Hodgson et al................... 426/99 X
Volodymyr R. Diachuk, Rutherford, 3,818, 108 6/1974 Morrison.............................. 426/35
N.J.
73 Assignee: Baker Research Development Primary Examiner-James R. Hoffman
Service, Inc., New York, N.Y. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Larson, Taylor and Hinds
22) Filed: June 26, 1975
21 Appl. No.: 590,555
Related U.S. Application Data 57 ABSTRACT
63) Continuation of Ser. No. 424,785, Dec. 14, 1973,
abandoned. Ascorbic acid coated with an edible, water insoluble
material is used as an oxidizing agent for bread. It may
(52) U.S. Cl..................................... 426/25; 426/62; be used to replace conventional bromate and iodate
426/99 oxidizing agents. Preferably, it is used with conven
51 Int. Cl.’....................... A21D 2/22; A21D 2/04 tional bromate oxidizing agent to replace the conven
58) Field of Search........................... 426/25, 62, 99 tional iodate oxidizing agent. It may be used as an oxi
dizing agent in any bread making process.
56 References Cited
UNITED STATES PATENTS 27 Claims, No Drawings
2,511,803 6/1950 Hall ...................................... 426/99
 3,959,496
2
dough in any convenient manner, preferably the con
OXIDIZNGAGENT FOR MAKING BREAD ventional manner in which bromate or iodate oxidant is
This is a continuation, of application Ser. No. added in any given process.
424,785 filed Dec. 14, 1973 and now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Bread is conventionally made by any of several pro
This invention relates to bread making and, more cesses in each of which the present invention can be
particularly, to oxidizing agents useful in bread making. utilized. Conventional processes, all of which are fully
For many years, oxidizing agents have been used to described in the literature, include continuous mix,
modify the protein in wheat flour to promote desired 10 brew process, straight dough, sponge dough, and "short
bread characteristics as large loaf volume, strong side time' or “no time" processes utilizing biochemical
walls, fine grain, smooth texture, and bright-white development of the wheat flour dough. The use of the
crumb color. These are used in all of the conventional invention in each of these processes is illustrated in the
methods of making bread including continuous mix, Examples which follow.
brew process, straight dough, sponge dough, and short 15
EXAMPLE 1
time dough processes. While many oxidizing agents
have been used, the most widely used material is a Continuous Process.
mixture of potassium bromate and potassium iodate. The following ingredients are used for the broth (liq
The use of iodate in bread has been criticized by uid ferment) preparation:
several groups because of flavor problems and possible
undesirable characteristics. Presently, the FDA permits Water: variable (about 68.0%)
a total of 77 ppm. (based on flour weight) of total Sugar: 8.0%
bromate and iodate. In practice, bromate is used in an Salt (enriched): 2.25%
amount of from two to four times the amount of iodate. Soy-dairy blend: 2.0%
Ascorbic acid has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 25 Yeast food (Arkady)
Calcium Acid Phosphate
0.5%
0.1%
2,149,682, issued Mar. 7, 1939, as an oxidant capable Calcium Propionate. 0.1%
of improving the baking strength of flour. However, the Yeast 2.5%
*all percentages herein are based on the flour weight unless otherwise specified.
material was seen to be unstable, apparently due to the
fact that, in marked distinction from earlier known
oxidants, it is a strong reducing agent possessing the 30 The broth is prepared in stainless steel tanks and it
property of being easily decomposed by oxidation. U.S. ferments for 2% hours before use. At the end of the
Pat. No. 2,300,439, issued Nov. 3, 1942, shows one fermentation period, the broth is transferred to a reser
attempt at overcoming this problem in the use of ascor voir tank. In this tank the temperature is maintained,
bic acid. More recently, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,304,183, while the broth is fed constantly and accurately
issued to Johnson on Feb. 14, 1967, ascorbic acid is 35 through a plate type heat exchanger to the pre-mixer.
suggested as a reducing agent in continuous mix bread. At the same time, a Merchen Feeder continuously
However, it is there used for the purpose of reducing weighs flour which passes through a vibrating sifter and
mixing time and a conventional bromate-iodate oxidiz into the pre-mixer. An oxidant solution consisting of 50
ing agent is also employed. Johnson carefully points out ppm potassium bromate and 12.5 ppm. potassium
that the action of ascorbic acid is totally different than 40 iodate is continuously metered directly from the tank
the bromate or iodate oxidizing agents. In fact, Johnson into the pre-mixer. The oxidants may alternatively be
discloses that the use of ascorbic acid as a replacement added to the broth tank in tablet form.
for bromate or iodate results in bread with inferior *ppm, means parts by weight per million parts by weight of flour unless
otherwise specified.
characteristics and that it is only when used with these Blended liquid shortening is also metered into the
agents that mixing time can be realized while producing 45 pre-mixer. The above ingredients are metered into the
bread of acceptable quality. We have discovered, quite pre-mixer at the rates pre-determined by the baker's
surprisingly, that bromate or iodate oxidizing agent can formula which typically calls for:
be effectively replaced with ascorbic acid and that 100.00% of flour, and
bread of excellent characteristics can be produced by 3.0% shortening blend.
continuous mix or by any other conventional bread 50 From the pre-mixer the thoroughly mixed ingredients
making technique. Accordingly, it is an object of the are pumped to the developer. At the point of optimum
invention to utilize ascorbic acid as an oxidizing agent development, when optimum film forming and gas
for making bread by any conventional bread making retaining capacity is present, the dough is extruded,
process. It is a further object to replace iodate with shaped, divided and placed in pans. It is ready for
ascorbic acid and produce bread by any conventional 55 proofing and baking. The baked bread has excellent
process with characteristics at least as good as those characteristics of loaf volume, side wall strength, grain
possessed by bread made in the same manner with texture, and crumb color and is of fully acceptable
iodate oxidizing agent. commercial quality.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 60 EXAMPLE 2
The foregoing objects and others which will be ap Example 1 is followed except that the iodate is re
parent to those having ordinary skill in the art are placed by 12.5 ppm. of ascorbic acid in the form of
achieved according to the invention by utilizing finely coated particles. The coating is hydrogenated vegeta
divided particles of ascorbic acid coated with an edible, 65 ble oil having a melting point of from 142-148F and
water insoluble material such as a hydrogenated vege having the following particle size distribution:
table oil. Preferably, at least 50 percent by weight of
the coated particles have a size between 20 and 100 Retained on 20 mesh
mesh. The ascorbic acid is incorporated in the bread (U.S. sieve) 2% by weight (maximum)
 3,959,496
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Retained on 70 mesh
-continued EXAMPLE 4
60% by weight (minimum)
Through 100 mesh 10% by weight (maximum) The process of Example 3 is repeated except that the
iodate (including that in the yeast food) is replaced
The coated ascorbic acid particles may be provided with 12.5 ppm. ascorbic acid in the form of the coated
by any conventional encapsulation process such as the capsules of Example 2. The bread produced without
following: iodate has excellent, commercially acceptable charac
1. U.S. Pat. No. 2,970,915 issued Feb. 7, 1961 teristics in all respects comparable to the bread of Ex
2. U.S. Pat. No. 3,495,988 issued Feb. 17, 1970 10
ample 3.
3. U.S. Pat. No. 2,426,762 issued Sept. 2, 1947 EXAMPLE 5
4. U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,963 issued May 23, 1972
5. U.S. Pat. NO. 2,978,332 issued Apr. 4, 1961 Straight Dough Process.
6. Microencapsulation as disclosed in Food Technol The following ingredients are placed in a mixer and
ogy, Nov. 1973, pages 34-44 and in the patents 15 mixed to optimum development:
assigned to the National Cash Register Corpora
tion.
Flour 100.0%
The coated particles included about 50 percent by Water (variable) 60-68%
weight of the coating material. Bread made using 25 Sugar
Salt
6.0%
2.25%
ppm. of the coated particles (12.5 ppm. ascorbic acid) 20 Yeast Food 0.5%
in place of the 12.5 ppm. iodate used in Example 1 Shortening 3.0%
produced bread free of iodate and having virtually Milk - Soy Blend 3.0%
Yeast 2.5%
identical characteristics to the bread of Example 1. The
loaf is in every way commercially acceptable.
EXAMPLE 3 25 Then the dough is allowed to ferment for 1% to 2
hours. Then it is divided, passed through an overhead
Brew Process. proofer, rounded, and molded. Then it is ready for
In this process, a brew is fermented for three or four proofing and baking. The bread has excellent charac
teristics.
hours or more at 87°F and kept overnight in the refrig
erator. The next day, all the ingredients (brew flour, 30 EXAMPLE 6
shortening, sugar, milk blend, salt, yeast food, and Bread is made as in Example 5 except that the iodate
yeast) are mixed till optimum dough development. (including that in the yeast food) is replaced with 12.5
After that, the dough is allowed to rest for 10-45min ppm. ascorbic acid as in Example 4. The bread pro
utes (floor time) then passed through the rounder and 35 duced without iodate has excellent, commercially ac
molder. Then it is proofed and baked. In this example, ceptable qualities in all respects comparable to the
the brew has the following formula: bread of Example 5.
Water variable (20 or 30%) EXAMPLE 7
Yeast 1%
Sugar 2% 40 Sponge Dough.
Salt 1.25%
Fleischmann's Diamalt 0.5% Sponge ingredients are mixed for about 6 minutes
Fleischmann's Brew Buffer 0.25% and then allowed to ferment for 4 hours. Then the
sponge dough is dropped to the dough mixer for remix
The dough has the following formula: ing with the rest of the dough ingredients. After remix,
45 the doughs are run through the degasser, divider, over
Brew All head proofer, rounder and molder. At this stage, pans
Water Variable (35-45%) with dough are placed in the proof box and then baked.
Flour
Sugar
100.0%
6.0%
The sponge and dough formulas are as follows:
Yeast Food (Fermaloid) 0.5% 50
Salt 0.75% Sponge Dough
Yeast 2.00%
Shortening 3.0% Flour 62.5% Flour 37.5%
Milk Blend 3.0% Water (variable) 46.0% Water 22.0%
Yeast food 0.5% Sugar 7.0%
Yeast 2.5%. Shortening 3.0%
A conventional oxidizing agent comprising 6 ppm. 55 Soy-Dairy Blend 3.0%
Salt 2.0%
bromate and 6 ppm. iodate are added prior to mixing. Emulsifier 0.2%
Some of the oxidizing agent is supplied in the yeast Inhibitor (Ca-propionate) 0.1%
food which has the following composition (% based on The oxidizing aent ( 6 ppm. bromate and 6 ppm io
weight of yeast food): date) is incorporated in the yeast food of the sponge.
60 The bread has excellent characteristics.
Monocalcium Phosphate Monohydrate 50.06%
Ammonium Sulphate 7.01% EXAMPLE 8
Potassium iodate 0.10%
Potassium Bromate
Sodium Chloride
0.12%
9.35%
Bread is made as in Example 7 except that the iodate
Starch 23.36% 65
(including that in the yeast food) is replaced with 6 to
12 ppm. ascorbic acid as in Example 4. The bread
produced without iodate has excellent, commercially
The bread made by this process has excellent, commer acceptable qualities in all respects comparable to the
cially acceptable characteristics. bread of Example 7.
 3,959,496
5 6
EXAMPLE 9 sufficient depending, again, on the particular coating
material. . .
Short time or no time dough processes. The objective The amount of ascorbic acid that may be used is
in these processes is to reduce or eliminate the bulk generally up to 200 ppm., preferably from 5 to 200
fermentation step in bread production for the purpose 5 ppm. based on flour weight. Bromate can be excluded
of savings in time, manpower and equipment. This is altogether, but is preferably used in amounts of up to
achieved by biochemical dough development. It's func 75 ppm., more preferably 20-75 ppm. As mentioned
tion is: above, the iodate is preferably excluded altogether but
1. to ensure adequate gas production in the dough for may be used in conventional amounts, generally one
proper leavening, , O half to one fourth of the bromate and not to exceed 75
2. to contribute to flavor and aroma complex, ppm. total bromate and iodate.
3. to promote dough development, and The ascorbic acid is conveniently utilized in admix
4. to promote dough maturing action. ture with bromate and added to the dough mix in the
These functions require the use of special additives 15 manner conveniently used for bromate addition. When
such as L-Cysteine Hydrochloride, correctly balanced used in this manner, the ascorbic acid is generally used
ratios of yeast nutrients, oxidants and enzymes. in an amount of from about 0.04 to 8 parts of ascorbic
Standard formula and procedure for conventional or acid per part by weight of bromate.
continuous processes are used where fermentation step What is claimed is:
would be shortened or eliminated. To obtain good 20 1. In a bread dough including wheat flour, water,
quality, continuous or conventional no time bread with leavening and an oxidizing agent, the improvement
normal mixing and normal proof time, the following wherein said oxidizing agent comprises particles of
levels of oxidants may be used in accordance with the ascorbic acid coated with and encapsulated within a
invention: coating of an edible, water insoluble material having a
25-75 ppm. of potassium bromate melting point of from 130F to 155°F, said ascorbic
up to 200 ppm. of encapsulated ascorbic acid 25 acid being present in an amount of about 5 to 200 parts
Bread made in this manner in accordance with the per million based on the weight of the wheat flour, said
invention has excellent characteristics. water insoluble material being present in an amount of
The size of the coated ascorbic acid particles can about 5 to 200% by weight based on the ascorbic acid
vary widely. It will be recognized, however, that at the weight.
small levels of ascorbic acid used, a rather small parti 30 2. An improved dough according to claim 1 wherein
cle size will be needed in order to achieve adequate said edible, water insoluble material comprises a tri
distribution of the ascorbic acid in the bread dough. glyceride.
For this reason, it is preferred that at least 50 percent 3. An improved dough according to claim 2 wherein
by weight of the particles will have a particle size of said triglyceride comprises hydrogenated vegetable oil
between 20 and 100 mesh (U.S. sieve size). More pref 35 having a melting point of from 130F to 155F.
erably, at least 75 percent will be between 20 and 100 4. An improved dough according to claim 1 wherein
mesh and, still more preferably at least 85 percent. The at least 50% by weight of the coated ascorbic acid
nature of the coating can vary widely. The coated parti particles have a particle size of between 100 and 20
cles are preferably added before mixing the dough or at mesh.
least at one early stage of mixing to ensure adequate 40 5. An improved dough according to claim 4 wherein
distribution. It is also believed that some rupturing of at least 75% by weight of the coated ascorbic acid
the coating during mixing is beneficial and, in fact, a particles have a particle size of between 100 and 20
good deal of the coating is apparently ruptured during mesh.
mixing. The amount of rupturing will vary, of course, 6. An improved dough according to claim 4 wherein
depending upon the hardness and thickness of the coat 45 at least 85% by weight of the coated ascorbic acid
ing and these properties can be varied at will to achieve particles have a particle size of between 100 and 20
optimum results with any particular coating material. mesh.
The coating should, of course, be edible and water 7. An improved dough according to claim 1 wherein
insoluble and its only other requirement (other, of said oxidizing agent comprises potassium bromate in an
course, than being coatable by a known encapsulating 50 amount of from 20 to 75 ppm. based on the wheat
technique) is that the coating be suitably frangible flour.
during the bread making process to make the ascorbic 8. An improved dough according to claim 7 which is
acid available. Since the mixing requirements of vari free of iodate oxidizing agent.
ous bread making processes differ, and since the hard 55 9. In a method of making leavened bread from a
ness of individual edible and water soluble coating bread dough comprising wheat flour, water, leavening,
materials will vary considerably, it is not feasible to and an oxidizing agent in which process the bread
place precise limits on the amounts of thickness of dough is baked to form a leavened bread, the improve
coating materials useful in the present invention. Fatty ment wherein said oxidizing agent comprises particles
materials in general having a melting point of over of ascorbic acid coated with and encapsulated within a
130°F, and hydrogenated vegetable oils having a melt coating of edible, water insoluble material having a
ing point of from 130° to 155°F, preferably 140 to melting point of from 130°F to 155°F, said ascorbic
150°F, in particular, have proven eminently useful and acid being present in an amount of about 5 to 200 parts
are easily coated by any of several conventional encap per million based on the weight of wheat flour, said
sulation techniques. For these materials, a coating 65
water insoluble material being present in an amount of
amounting to about 100 percent by weight, based on about 5 to 200% by weight based on the ascorbic acid
the weight of the ascorbic acid, is typical. In general, a weight.
coating weight of from about 5 percent to 200 percent 10. An improved method according to claim 9
by weight, based on the ascorbic acid weight, will be wherein said edible, water insoluble material comprises
 3,959,496
7 8
a triglyceride. based on the weight of the potassium bromate, said
11. An improved method according to claim 9 triglyceride being present in an amount of about 5 to
wherein said oxidizing agent comprises potassium bro 200% by weight based on the ascorbic acid weight.
mate in an amount of from 25 to 75 ppm. based on the 20. A composition according to claim 19 wherein at
weight of the wheat flour. least 50 percent by weight of the coated ascorbic acid
12. An improved method according to claim 11 particles have a particle size of between 100 and 20
wherein the bread dough is free of iodate oxidizing mesh.
agent. 21. A composition according to claim 20 wherein at
13. An improved method according to claim 9 least 75 percent by weight of the coated ascorbic acid
wherein the bread dough is prepared by a continuous O
particles have a particle size of between 100 and 200
mix process. mesh.
14. An improved method according to claim 13 22. A composition according to claim 20 wherein at
wherein a broth is used to prepare the dough and least 85 percent by weight of the coated ascorbic acid
wherein the oxidizing agent is added to the broth. particles have a particle size of between 100 and 20
15. An improved method according to claim 9 5
mesh.
wherein the bread dough is prepared by a brew process 23. An oxidizing composition according to claim 19
in which a fermented brew and all the remaining dough wherein said water insoluble triglyceride comprises
ingredients are mixed to optimum development. hydrogenated vegetable oil.
16. An improved method according to claim 9 24. In a bread dough including wheat flour, water,
wherein the bread dough is prepared by a straight 20
leavening and an oxidizing agent, the improvement
dough process wherein all of the dough ingredients are wherein said oxidizing agent comprises particles of
mixed and wherein the oxidizing agent is added to the ascorbic acid coated with and encapsulated within an
dough prior to completion of the mixing step. edible, water insoluble material having a melting point
17. An improved method according to claim 9
wherein the bread dough is prepared by a sponge 25 of at least 130F to 55F.
dough method wherein a fermented sponge is mixed 25. An improved bread dough according to claim 24
with the remaining dough ingredients and wherein the wherein said coating comprises hydrogenated vegeta
oxidizing agent is added to the dough prior to the com ble oil.
pletion of the mixing step. 26. In a bread dough including wheat flour, water,
18. An improved method according to claim 9 30 leavening and an oxidizing agent, the improvement
wherein the bread is prepared by a short time dough wherein said oxidizing agent comprises potassium bro
process in which a bulk fermentation step is eliminated mate particles and ascorbic acid particles, the ascorbic
or shortened by the utilization of biochemical dough acid particles being coated with and encapsulated
development and wherein the oxidizing agent is added within an edible, water insoluble triglyceride having a
to the dough prior to completion of mixing of the 35 melting point of about 130-155F, said ascorbic acid
dough ingredients. . being present in an amount of about 0.04 to 8 parts by
19. An oxidizing composition for use in bread making weight based on the weight of the potassium bromate,
comprising an intimate mixture of potassium bromate said triglyceride being present in an amount of about 5
particles and ascorbic acid particles, the ascorbic acid to 200% by weight based on the ascorbic acid weight.
particles being coated with and encapsulated with an 40 27. An improved bread dough according to claim 26
edible, water insoluble triglyceride having a melting wherein said water insoluble triglyceride comprises
point of about 130-155°F, said ascorbic acid being hydrogenated vegetable oil.
present in an amount of about 0.04 to 8 parts by weight ck ck ck k sk

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