Our industry loves talking about food (honestly, who doesn’t?). So, when talking professionally about your product, it’s nice to explain the texture and taste on a scale everyone understands. That’s why we have Texture Profile Analysis (TPA). It began as a trained sensory panel measuring and describing the textural properties of food. Today, specialized [...]
Alginates What are Alginates? Alginates are natural polysaccharides derived from marine brown algae. They have unique properties which make them a valuable component of many applications. In foods and bakery formulations, they are used to: Stabilize dispersions Increase viscosity Form gels Improve their overall texture Origin Alginates were [...]
Maltodextrins What is are Maltodextrins? Maltodextrins are products of partial hydrolysis of starch. They are used as: Bulking agents Carriers for flavors Sweetness reducers ‘Gram by gram’ sugar/fat replacers They are classified based on their dextrose equivalents (DE) which range from 3-20. The higher the DE, the more extensive is the hydrolysis [...]
Potato Starch What is Potato Starch? Potato starch is a fine, white powdery substance derived from potatoes. Similar to other starches, it is commonly used to thicken, gel, texturize and increase crispiness in baked goods. It is also used in clear soup, confections, fillings, and so on. Properties such as high water-binding [...]
As gluten-free products fill the market, so do gluten-free flours that can hold up in commercially baked goods. Different sources offer different benefits and challenges for bakers, so it’s nice to find a gluten-free option that provides additional benefits for its niche—like how sweet rice flour can also improve low fat and fat free snack [...]
Cupcakes What are Cupcakes? Cupcakes are small, tasty snack cakes that are favored for their portability and portion-control. They are batter cakes baked in a cup-shaped foil or temperature resistant paper.1 A cupcake can be prepared from a variety of formulations and can be decorated with cream and icings. Its composition is [...]
When do you use pre-gelatinized rice flour? In baking formulas, it is helps with: Viscosity control Texture control Thickening Bulking One super useful application for this ingredient? Gluten-free baking! Rice flour is naturally without gluten, and gluten-free products need a thickening agent to make up for the lack of gluten proteins. What makes it difference than just [...]
Viscometer Also known as a viscosimeter What is a Viscometer? A viscometer is an instrument that measures the viscosity of liquid, semi-solid and even solid food products. Viscometers are important components of quality assurance laboratories as they are used to obtain information about the flow behavior (rheology) of materials due to changes in [...]
Dough extensibility is the strength in the dough and a contributor to the consistency and quality of a final baked good. However, it’s not just enough to know what is. Extensibility is half of a delicate balancing act in dough that begins during mixing. When the gluten matrix is activated, it creates both extensible and [...]
The falling number test measures enzyme activity in flour. Falling Number Test What is the falling number (FN) test? The Hagberg Falling Number test, originally developed in Sweden, is used to measure the enzyme activity in flour. The FN of a flour is related to the amount and activity of [...]
