New horizons rise from radical bread baking

Advances in bread processing from researchers at Campden BRI are expected to result in bread of improved quality with reduced energy input.

One of the benefits of the radical bread process (RBP), which is being commercialised by bakery equipment specialist Rondo, is that it can produce a high quality loaf of bread that is defined by a very fine structure of gas cells.

Alternatively, lower protein flours can be used to produce equivalent quality bread to that made with other bread making methods.

The RBP combines specific process operations to give doughs having unique characteristics at a reduced energy input. The bread made by the RBP is said to have excellent quality overall, comparing favourably with control samples in laboratory tests.

Gary Tucker, head of baking and cereals processing at Campden BRI, said: "There are two stages to the RBP. The first is lamination so that the gas cells in the dough are shaped like ellipses rather than spheres. The second is to cut the dough and place it into the pan with the gas cells aligned in the same direction."

Tucker added: "During proof the ellipsoidal gas cells lengthen to create a bread with a unique structure. Rondo has been working to develop its existing lamination equipment so that it is suitable for the RBP. Progress is good, with the first trials resulting in bread having the desired characteristics in terms of its unique structure."

Meanwhile, processing and analytical equipment worth £1.4M is being installed at Campden BRI as part of a strategic investment in technology for the future. The development complements additional investment in the construction of a new sample receipt facility, to streamline throughput of food, drink and packaging samples for analysis, testing and pilot processing.

The latest investment includes a Rondo Smartline for the automatic processing of very soft, sticky doughs, which result from long bulk fermentations. This will enable investigation of different formulations and processing regimes, for example through the low-stress sheeting of pastry and bread doughs.