Mixing dough

By Richard Junge
BAKERpedia put together the sold out teaching seminar “The Science of Mixing,” held at the Wheat Marketing Center, Portland OR. It talked about the fundamentals of hydration, mixing, and the requirements for a good mix. Bakery Concepts President Ken Schwenger, who provides innovative equipment for the Baking and Food Industries, demonstrated the Rapidojet, Model RJ1000.

This was done at the Wheat Marketing Center lab, with highly skilled cereal scientists, Ken demonstrated the continuous pre-hydration of flour and water – high-pressure water hitting free falling particles of flour through the Rapidojet mixing chamber.

Rapidojet mixing

Rapidojet mixing

The Science of Rapidojet Mixing

Utilizing a standardized straight dough method, a comparison was made against conventional spiral mixing vs. Rapidojet (pre-hydration of flour and water) with the balance of ingredients added into the spiral mixer.  The control and test dough were mixed to an “optimum mix point” for comparison.

Compared to the control mixed dough, the Rapidojet (flour/water hydration step), demonstrated that water absorption, on a flour basis, could be increased by 7%, yielding similar dough rheology, with less spiral mix requirement (time and energy) and yielded improved bread characteristics, i.e., texture, flavor and appearance (see picture below)

Bread from Rapidojet

Rapidojet improved volume at the same absorption.

The Rapidojet technology is multifaceted with many potential applications including grain washing (removal of contaminants) as well as liquid sponge production, gluten, starch and bran hydration, and batters. Your limitation is only your imagination.  The Rapidojet opens a new chapter—yet to be written—for the science of hydration and the benefits offered to the baking industry.

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