# Impact of Ferment Processing Parameters on the Quality of White Pan Bread
## 1 Introduction  
Fermentation, initiated by naturally present microorganisms, has been used since ancient times to produce food from milk, meat and fish, fruit and vegetables, pulses, cereals and other grains to prevent spoilage and improve flavour and texture. The health and nutritional benefits of fermented foods are well recognized [1, 2, 3]. Leavened bread is made using a fermentation process that is initiated either by naturally present yeast and bacteria (known as sourdough fermentation) or by addition of baker's yeast. Both processes involve the conversion of fermentable monosaccharides in the flour, derived from starch by the action of amyloid enzymes into carbon dioxide, alcohol, organic acids, and flavour precursors with the involvement of other enzymes [4]. During fermentation, the dough undergoes complex chemical and biological processes which help develop and mature the dough, allowing for the production of bread with high volume and improved flavour [5]. There are many factors that impact the rate of fermentation and its effect on the dough, including amount of water, temperature, acidity level, availability of the fermentable monosaccharides and nutrients to maintain the yeast in an active state. The amount of salt and sugar in the formulation is equally important [4, 5, 6]. Therefore, it is essential to establish the optimal balance of these factors to produce high-quality bread. Pan bread can be made using varying bread-making processes which depend on the number of mixing stages used for preparing the dough. In a single mixing process, also known as a straight-dough process, all ingredients are mixed into the dough at once. The dough is allowed to ferment between mixing and dividing into individual pieces, which is referred as floor time. Dough fermentation can take up to 2.5 h to achieve proper maturation, referred to as a long-time fermentation baking process [7]. In a two-stage mixing process, also known as a sponge- and dough-baking process, a sponge is first prepared from a portion of flour, water, and yeast that is mixed in the first stage and allowed to ferment for 3-4 h. In the second stage, the remaining ingredients are added to the sponge to prepare the final dough [7]. Bread processed using a sponge and dough method is more flavourful and has good loaf volume, superior crumb texture and delayed staling compared to bread processed using the straight-dough method [5; 8]. Despite the superior bread quality associated with the sponge and dough process, the straight-dough process is widely used because of its efficiency and reduced production time. Further savings in production time can be achieved by using the no-time dough-baking process, where fermentation time is eliminated or reduced to a minimum. Dough development occurs during the mixing stage using a high-speed mixer with the use of dough additives, which facilitate dough development and eliminate the need for extended fermentation [5]. These dough additives include oxidants, reducing agents, emulsifiers, preservatives, and other additives, which may be blended together to impart the desired functionality and improve dough machinability and bread quality, and are referred to as dough improves [9]. Despite having a reduced production time, bread made using the no-time dough-baking process lacks flavour and tends to stale quicker unless crumb softeners are added [5]. Liquid ferment have been used successfully by the baking industry in a modified sponge and dough process. Compared to a conventional sponge, liquid ferments contain a higher amount of water, allowing it to be transferred by pumping directly to the dough mixer [10]. [PERSON] described a ferment process using a tank equipped with a stirring device to disperse water into the ingredients, allowing fermentation to take place under constant agitation and heating until a stabile pH was achieved indicating a maturation state of the ferment [11]. After this point, the ferment was used immediately to produce bread or cooled to be used at a later time.