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Effects of Sucrose Ester, Dough Conditioner, and Storage Temperature on Long-Term Textural Stability of Shelf-Stable Bread

¹Combat Feeding Program, US Army Natick Soldier Center, SBCCOM, Natick, MA 01760-5018. ²Corresponding author. E-mail: Ann.Barrett@natick.army.mil. ³Product Optimization and Evaluation Team, US Army Natick Soldier Center, SBCCOM. ⁴Department of Agriculture and Biological Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210. ⁵Geo Centers, Inc., Natick, MA 01760.

The effectiveness of a dough conditioner containing an amylase enzyme, surfactants, and a reducing compound on preserving the textural stability of shelf-stable bread was compared with that of sucrose ester. Military-specification Meal, Ready-to-Eat bread was formulated to contain sucrose ester alone, the dough conditioner alone, both in combination, or neither additive. Samples were also stored at 4, 21, and 38°C for 12 weeks. Instrumental texture, as determined by uniaxial compression and mathematically fitted stress-strain relationships, and sensory texture, as determined by a trained texture panel, were assessed periodically between 0 and 12 weeks. Both sucrose ester and the dough conditioner yielded stored samples that were softer than the control; sucrose ester was slightly more effective than the dough conditioner in preserving instrumental texture, and the additive combination yielded the lowest firmness parameters. Thermal analysis results were consistent with mechanical and sensory evaluations in showing slightly increased recrystallization of starch in the noadditive formulation. Panelists perceived the samples containing sucrose ester to be much closer to an “ideal” texture compared with those containing the dough conditioner. A partial substitution of the lower cost dough conditioner for higher cost sucrose ester may be possible.