Baking & Snack - February 2019 - 74

CHEMICAL LEAVENING

blends will be requested as applications become more
specific. "From tortillas or frozen dough, you can make
a leavening system that really fits whatever the criteria
are for your end consumer," he said. "There are certain
things we can do to help bakers achieve their desired final characteristics, whether it be lighter color or even a
fluffier tortilla."

Focus on product and process
Which chemical leavener a baker chooses is driven by
the finished baked good and the process. "Higher or
lower batter temperatures, shorter or longer process
times, low- and high-moisture products, refrigerated
doughs, frozen doughs, extruded snacks - all of these
require manipulation of the gas release," Ms. Thomas explained. Gas release will be affected by the type of leavening acid and particle size of the sodium bicarbonate,
so bakers will need to select the proper combination of
acid and base to deliver the right amount of release at
the right time during manufacturing.
A chemical leavening reaction can be triggered by
heat or liquid, and that can be a fast or slow reaction. It
all depends on the final product and the process it will
endure. "Leavening acids exist that are fast-acting, timedelayed or heat-triggered, with many choices in each
category," Dr. Book explained. "The selection of leavening acid will impact cell size and grain, tenderness, volume and even color."
Bakers must consider temperature and time throughout the process when looking at chemical leavening ingredients. Gas reactions are directly impacted by batter
and dough temperatures. Cooler temperatures will slow
down gassing, while warmer temperatures will speed
up gassing rates. "If a tortilla dough becomes too warm
during mixing, there will be too much gas produced
during mixing and processing and not enough during
the baking stage, with the outcome being a translucent,
thin and leathery tortilla," Mr. Bright said.
The proper chemical leavening system will also heavily depend on time spent on the production floor. Cake
muffins baked right away vs. those produced from a frozen batter have very different leavening needs. Even a
characteristic like the top of a muffin will be impacted
by leavening, Mr. Olds explained. "If you want a flat-top
muffin, you may choose to use different components
Top: It's important that bakers understand the needs of their finished products
before deciding on chemical leavening ingredients. The needs of a baked
cookie are different than that of frozen dough products.
Shutterstock.com

Bottom: Chemical leaveners have a direct impact on the pH of a formula. For most
baked goods, a balanced pH means a balanced taste, but in the case of buttermilk
biscuits, a lower pH is desired for the expected bite in the biscuit flavor.
©msheldrake - stock.adobe.com

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Baking & Snack - February 2019

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