Variations in the taste, texture, and appearance of baked goods negatively impact customers' brand loyalty. That's why commercial bakeries must strive to maintain consistent product quality, because even minor changes in the baking process risk introducing variations and defects in the end product. For that reason, accurate and reliable bakery quality control methods are essential.
Objective defect diagnosis is essential
Visual inspections are subject to error, even if undertaken by experienced bakers. A baking analyser ensures fast, precise assessment of the baking process, from ingredient quality and selection to formulation, baking, and the finished product.
C-Cell, from Calibre Control, provides an objective evaluation of baked products with an exceptional level of detail, which can't be achieved by sight alone. Microstructure visualisations assess factors such as mouth feel, springiness, and shelf life.
This objective and repeatable analysis enables a 'before versus after' approach. Baked goods are compared before analysis, and after a process adjustment. This bread crumb analysis reveals if the adjustment has achieved the desired result – improved crumb structure, softness or texture, for example.
Without accurate, repeatable data, baking process changes are simply trial and error, which is wasteful and costly.
Baked goods defects – Common Issues
1. Collapse
Loaves can sink as they cool, which reduces volume and makes them visually unappealing.
Causes of collapse:
- Weak gluten development
- Over-proofing
- Incorrect baking time and/or temperature
- Too much yeast
- Unbalanced formulation
C-Cell identifies structural weaknesses by assessing crumb firmness and structure, evaluating density and moisture levels, measuring cell wall thickness, and evaluating internal crumb consistency and air cell distribution. Weakened cell walls can be identified before they collapse, and before visual inspection would spot the problem.
Corrective measures: Increase gluten development with additional high-protein flour, reduce proofing time, alter hydration levels, and adjust baking time, temperature, and humidity levels.
2. Large holes
This is a common baked goods defect, due to over-proofing, excess flour, insufficient degassing of trapped CO2, over-moulding during dough preparation, or insufficient hydration.
C-Cell evaluates cell elongation, frequency of oversized air pockets, and cell size distribution and homogeneity of gas pockets. Bread crumb analysis distinguishes between genuine defects and an acceptable internal structure.
Corrective measures: Strengthen the dough by adjusting ingredients or additives, adjust dough stickiness and elasticity, refine temperature, humidity, and baking time.
3. Poor oven spring
Oven spring is a vital factor for loaf appearance, texture, and volume. Poor oven spring creates a dense, low-volume loaf with an unappealing colour.
C-Cell identifies inadequate gas cell expansion and CO2 retention through objective microstructure analysis of crumb density and volume, symmetry of crumb structure, crumb openness, and CO2 build-up leading to gas cell expansion.
Corrective measures: Refine yeast levels, adjust baking temperature, refine fermentation and mixing, and improve flour performance by adding conditioners or enzymes.
4. Dense or irregular crumb
Crumb structure defects in bread create issues with texture – the product will be too dense or too spongy, leading to an unpleasant texture and customer dissatisfaction.
C-Cell baking analyser assesses cell density and uniformity, correct quantity of ingredients, texture consistency, and cell wall thickness.
Corrective measures: Refine dough hydration, ensure standard mixing procedures across dough batches, and precisely control dough temperature.
Consistent quality with C-Cell baking analyser
Objective microstructure visualisations are essential to reduce waste and maintain quality and profitability. Contact C-Cell today to discover how your business will benefit from modern bakery quality control methods.