Enzyme solutions for Asia

The new AB Enzymes preparation VERON Brox is not only an excellent replacement for potassium bromate, but it also achieves better bread quality and larger bread volume.

AB Enzymes’ latest innovations comprises three new products specifically designed for the Asian market: Veron Brox – a true replacement for potassium bromate which actually provides better bread quality, VERON MT- for improved results in Asian steamed bread, and VERON NDL which enforces various features such as enzymatic whitening, overcooking tolerance and a better noodle firmness (bite).

One of AB Enzymes’ more recent innovations is VERON Amylofresh – an amylase preparation which extends shelf life significantly and, in addition, provides an extraordinarily fresh taste. According to AB Enzymes all these reliable “problem solvers” give customers the competitive edge because they are cost effective applications. They will be displayed at FI Asia in September.

Powerful alternative to bromates
The new AB Enzymes preparation VERON Brox is not only an excellent replacement for potassium bromate, but it also achieves better bread quality and larger bread volume. Potassium bromate is a chemical oxidant which was prohibited in many countries around the world for health reasons. China recently followed the restriction and banned the additive from mills and bakeries. Chemical oxidants such as bromate have been used to strengthen the gluten when making bread. The restriction at once forced the search for an effective bromate replacement for China’s bread flour.

AB Enzymes, experts in natural proteins, therefore developed a new preparation: VERON Brox – a fungal alpha-amylase mixed with hemicellulase and bromate-free oxidation agents. Additional oxidizing agents are not necessary. This universal enzyme combination – and newcomer in the manufacturing of baked goods – acts on flour proteins, pentosans and starch. It modifies the flour pentosans and, thus, strengthens the dough.

As a result, the better quality of bromate-free baked goods is apparent in a more uniform crumb structure and increased volume. Particularly noticeable are improved dough properties and higher baking volume.

Better results in steamed bread
In Asia, nothing is more popular than fresh steamed buns. The buns are made of leavened wheat-flour and are steamed instead of baked. Whether plain northern-style (just made of flour, water and yeast) or richer southern-style (made of a larger variety of ingredients), customers like them with a homogeneous texture and a savory, aromatic flavor. However, their quality strongly depends on flour quality and the manufacturing process. Natural aids like enzymes can help to secure high quality steam-baking results.

For Asian steam-bread good dough stability is essential for obtaining perfect quality. Used in steam-bread or western-style bread with wheat, rice-, corn- or rye flour, transglutaminase is the key ingredient to significantly improving the properties of the dough.

Just like Brox, VERON MT reacts with starch and pentosans in the flour. These liberate fermentable sugars and, thus, improve yeast fermentation, increasing the volume by improving the gluten network. All this has a stabilizing effect on bread texture, flavor, volume and product appearance. Steam-bread made with VERON MT showed the best fermentation tolerance, resulting in a compact smooth surface. In steam-bread, the product enhances the water absorption of proteins, and since they bind more water, this water can be released to the starch during baking which leads to a better gelatinisation. In addition, the dough is drier and, therefore, has less stickiness, which makes it easier to process mechanically. A further asset is that the dough is more workable and less prone to tearing which is favorable particularly for steam baking, but also for oven baking.

Noodles and pasta answer
Enzymes are not only great baking aids, they also can be used in other cereal food applications to improve the product quality or as a cost-saving instrument. Hence, they positively influence various properties of noodles and pasta – popular foods in many Asian countries. Although noodles and pasta are two different products, they have many similarities. Both are based on wheat and water. The quality of raw material greatly influences the quality of both Asian noodles and Italian style pasta. VERON NDL allows the use of low-cost raw materials while securing best results as if high-cost raw materials are used – and, therefore, saves money.

While unlocking the strengthening potential in flour this product prevents overcooking and ensures excellent firmness – the noodle texture stays longer “al dente”. The hemicellulolytic and lipolytic enzyme activities in VERONR NDL consequently support an appetising and appealing appearance through an enzymatic whitening effect.

www.abenzymes.com.