Reduction of the salt content in the baked goods using fermentation technologies

Reduction of the salt content in the baked goods using fermentation technologies 1704 2560 Martina Dušková

Melvia is an exclusive representative of the DIOSNA company on the Czech market. For our market, we provide machines for bakers and confectioners, fermentation cultures for rye and wheat sourdoughs, and enzymes, which significantly improve the quality of very popular aroma predoughs. Our target is to help maximize the quality of the baked goods, in order to preserve traditional methods and processes of the bakery production with a help of the modern technology.

Results of the national contest „Bread of the Year 2020“, which took place in the beginning of October in Pardubice, are showing that we are succeeding in achieving our target. In the consume bread were five out of six winning samples made out of DIOSTART sourdough (former ISERNHÄGER). Our sourdough is an alternative to the Czech traditional multi-steps rye sourdough. In contrary to the spontaneous sourdoughs, it achieves longer stability. That is, in the time of production planning from one day to another very important attribute of the sourdough, which allows the bakers to use classical fermentation of rye flour even in the conditions of the industrial production.

Currently, we are cooperating with The University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague on the project „Reformulation of the baked goods“. The project’s target is to reduce salt content in baked goods. For this research, Melvia lent its fermentor for the production of wheat sourdough, and at the moment we also discuss lending of a fermentor for the production of aroma predoughs. You can read more about this project in our previous article (odkaz)… Our technologist Hana Nykodymová, who was an evaluating committee member for consume bread of 900 – 1 200 g of weight, admits, that in some samples would reducing salt content be more than convenient. The reduction of the salt content is determined by technological tolerability, which means dough processability. If there is a lack of salt, the dough becomes runny, which has a bad characteristic for further dough shaping. Furthermore, it is necessary to maintain sensory tolerability – customer expects constant taste of the product and is used to the salty taste of the baked good. Usage of the fermentation technologies (either sourdough or aroma
predoughs) influences both of those parameters.

Due to the fermentation, the dough is better processable, water is better connected to the flour particles. During the fermentation process, the structure of the dough starts to emerge, structure is then finalized during the dough kneading. Sourdoughs, as well as aroma predoughs, are enriching the taste of the baked goods so that the saltiness can be reduced. Advantages of rye and wheat sourdoughs and aroma predoughs usage:

Rye and wheat sourdough:

  • Adding richer taste to the products, which can partly substitute the taste of the salt
  • Prolonged durability (due to the content of lactic and acetic acids)
  • Better digestibility of fermented flour
  • Antifungal activity suppresses the growth of the molds (mainly lactic acid is protecting
    from mold)
  • Better digestibility and nutritional value of the products due to increased absorbability
    of fiber and other active substances

Aroma predoughs:

  • In the aroma mixture preparation process, water is firmly connected to the center of
    the grain. Products have a longer freshness and noticeably lower susceptibility to the mold
    even at a higher utilization rate of the dough.
  • Because of the enzymatic activity, a great amount of taste and aromatic substances are
    created, therefore final products have a distinctive and fuller taste.
  • Noticeable better digestibility due to the fermentation.