INFLUENCE OF WHEAT FLOUR DOUGH HYDRATION LEVELS ON GAS PRODUCTION DURING DOUGH FERMENTATION AND BREAD QUALITY

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of different dough hydration levels on gas production during dough fermentation and on the quality of the finished bakery products. Experiments were performed using like row materials wheat flour with an average quality for bread-making and a compressed yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae type. The hydration level of dough analyzed was equal to the wheat flour water absorption optimum value determined by a Farinograph device and values lower and higher than the 10% of this. A Fermentograph SJA device was used to analyze gas production during 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 minutes fermentation times. Like finished bakery products investigated in this study was loaf volume, height, length, height/ length ratio and bread humidity. A series of graphical representation was made using a STATISTICA 6.0 software between dough gas production at 90 minutes of fermentation time, the different hydration levels used and some parameters of the bakery products obtained. Once with the increase of water content in dough, the fermentative activity of yeast and the quality of bread obtained through baking tests is stimulated. So, the gas production level increase in all fermentation times analyzed, the bread loaf volume is enhanced, the parameters height and height/ length ratio decrease and the bread parameters length and dough humidity increase.