PRODUCTION AND EVALUATION OF BREAD USING BLEND OF WHEAT FLOUR AND FERMENTED PLANTAIN FLOUR
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION:
1.1 BREAD:
Bread is the loaf that results from the baking of dough which is obtained form a mixture of flour, salt, sugar,
yeast and water. However, other ingredient like milk, sugar and egg etc may be added. Due to increasing
population, urbanization and change in food habits, consumption of leavened bread has increased tremendously
in developing countries in recent years (Eggleston, 2005)
It is however relatively expensive being made from wheat which is as a result of climatic reasons does not grow
well in the tropics and has to be imported ( Edema, Etal 2004) efforts has been made to promote the use of
composite flour in which flour from locally grown crops and high protein seeds replace a portion of wheat for
use in bread. Thereby decreasing the demand for imported wheat and producing protein enriches bread ( Giami,
etal 2004).
Although wheat flour is the indispensable ingredient in leavened bakery products flours and meals from many
other grains are frequently used as ingredients for the purpose of enhancing flavour or colour and improving
nutritional aspect ( Samuel, 2004). The predominance of wheat flour for baking of levened breads due to the
properties of its elastic gluten protein, which helps in producing a relatively large loaf volume with a regular
finely crumb structure.
If the wheat flour used in bread making is to be substituted with flour produced from other crops, they must be
milled to acceptable baking quality. However such products cannot compare favourably with wheat flour
product and therefore can only be referred to as non- wheat bread or named after their flour sources ( Opara Etal
2005).
1.2 NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF BREAD per 100g
Carbohydrates 41g
Dietary fiber 7g
Fat 3g
Protein 13g
Thiamine (Vitamin B1) 0.4mg(35%)
Riboflavin ( Vitamin B2) 0.2mg(17%)
Niacin (Vatamin B3) 4.7mg(31%)
Sodium 472mg(31%)
1.3 TYPES OF BREAD
We have two main type of bread
White Bread
Brown Bread
– White Bread: Is made from flour containing only the central core of the grain ( endosperm).
– Brown Bread: Is made with endosperm and 10% brain ( pieces of grain husk separated from flour after
milling. It can also refer to white bread with added colouring often caramel colouring) to make it brown e.g.
wheat bread .
1.4 INGREDIENT IN BREAD MAKING
Flour
Sugar
Yeast
Butter
Preservations (e.g) calcium propionate)
Salt
Water.
1.5 COMPOSITION AND CHEMISTRY OF BREAD
1.6.1 FORMULATION AND COMPOSITION.
The proportion of water to flour is the most important measurement in a bread recipe, as it affects texture and
crumb the most. Professional baker use a system of percentage known as baker’s percentage in their recipe
formulations. They measure ingredients by weight instead of by volume because measurement by weigh is much
more accurate and consistent than measurement by volume, especially for the dry ingredients(Edema,2004).
The amount of flour is always stated as 100% and the amounts of the rest of the ingredient are expressed as a
percent of that amount by weight. Common table bread contain 75% water. In yeast bread, the higher water
percentage result in more Carbon(iv)oxide bubbles and a coarse bread crumb. Calcium propionate is
commonly added by commercial bakeries to retard the growth of molds and extend the shelf life of the bread.
(Edema,2004)
Flour is a product made from grain that has been grounded to a powdery consistency flour provides the primary
structure to the final based bread. Commonly available flour are made from rye, barley, maize and other grains,
but wheat flour is meat commonly used for bread. Each of these grains provides the starch and protein need to
form bread. The quality of the protein contained in the flour serves as the best indicator of the quality of the
bread dough and the finished bread. Wheat flour, in addition to its starch contains there water soluble protein
groups ( albumin, globulin, and proteoses) and two water insoluble protein group ( qlutein and qliadin). When
flour is mixed with water the water soluble protein dissolve, leaving the qluten and qliadin to form the structure
of the resulting bread when relatively dry dough is worked by kneading, or wet dough is allowed to rise for a
long time the qlutenin forms strands of long, thin, chainlike molecules, while the shorter qliadin forms bridges
between the strands of qlutenin. The resulting networks of strands produce by this two protein are known as
qluten Glutein development improves if the dough is allowed to autolyse(Giami,2004).
1.6.2 CHEMISTRY.
A simple technique for leavening bread is the use of gas – producing chemicals. There are two common
methods. The first is to use baking powder or a self-rising flour that includes baking powder. The second is to
include an acidic ingredient such as butter milk and add baking Soda, the reaction of the acid with the soda
produces gas.(Bhatty,2003)
1.6.3 YEAST
Many breads are leavened by yeast. The yeast used for leavening bread is saccaromyces cerevisae, this yeast
ferments carbohydrates in the flour including any sugar producing carbon dioxide. Yeast has the advantage of
producing uniform, quick and reliable results, because it is obtained from a pure culture.
1.6.4 STEAM:
The rapid expansion of steam produced during baking leavens the bread, which is as simple as it is
unpredictable. The best known steam- leavened bread is the popover. Steam – leavening is unpredictable since
the steam is not produced until the bread is baked. Steam leavening happens regardless of the rising agents (
baking soda, yeast, baking powder, sour dough, beaten egg white e.t.c).
– The leaveny agent either contains air bubbles or generates carbondioxide.
– The heat vaporizes the water from the inner surface of the bubble within the dough.
– The steam expands and makes the bread rise and this is the main factor in the rise of bread once it has
been put in the oven, Co2 generation, on its own, is too small to account for the rise. Heat kills Co2 generation.
1.6.5 BACTERIA
Salt rising bread employs a form of bacterial leavening that does not require yeast. Although the leaving action
is not always consistent and requires close attention to incubating condition. This bread is making a comeback
due to its unique flavour and fine texture.
1.6.6 FAT OR SHORTENINGS
Fat such as butter, Vegetable oils, lard affects the development of gluten in bread by coating and lubricating the
individual strands of protein and also helps to hold the structure together. Also fat also serves to tenderize the
bread they are used in and also help to keep bread fresh longer after baking
1.6.7 BREAD IMPROVER:
Are often used in producing commercial breads to reduce the time needed for rising and to improves texture and
volume . chemical substance commonly used as bread improver include ascorbic acid, hydro chloride sodium
metabisulfate etc.
1.6.8 SALT
Is one of the most additives used in production. In addition to enhancing flavor and restricting yeast activities,
salt affects the crumb and the overall texture by stabilizing and strengthening the qlutein.
1.6.9 BREAD CRUST:
The bread crust is formed from surface dough during the baking process. It is hardened and browned through the
maillard reaction using the sugars and amino acids and the intense heat at the bread surface. The nature of bread
crust is different depending on the type of bread and the way it is baked. Commercial bread is baked using jets
that direct steam towards the bread to help produce a desirable crust.
1.7 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
– This work is aimed at the production and evaluation of bread using blends of wheat flour and fermented
plantain flour.
– Determination of functional and microbiological properties of wheat – plantain composite flour.
– The acceptability of bread baked from the flours with a view to increasing the level of plantain flour
inclusion in wheat – plantain composite flour for bread production as this will lead to higher utilization of
plantain thereby reducing post harvest losses.
