# Impact of Ferment Processing Parameters on the Quality of White Pan Bread
## 2 Materials and Methods
### Bread Processing  
All baking studies were performed using pilot-scale baking equipment. White pan bread was processed using a no-time dough-baking process using a commercial formulation (Table 5).  
The ferment was added to the dough at three inclusion levels (30%, 50%, and 70%, expressed in baker's percentage). Bread, not containing ferment, was processed each day to monitor day-to-day variability in the bakery and to serve as a control. All ingredients were placed in a spiral mixer (Erka, Germany), mixed on slow speed (130 rpm) for 2 min, then fast speed (230 rpm) until optimum gluten development as determined by an experienced baker. Mixing time was recorded. The optimum amount of water needed to produce a soft dough was determined at the mixer on the control. Once this was established, the amount of water required for each ferment processing trial was determined by subtracting the amount of water in the ferment from the pre-determined amount of water required for the control. The targeted dough temperature after mixing was at 26-28 \({}^{\circ}\)C which was achieved by adjusting the temperature of the water added to the dough. The dough was scaled (460 g pieces), rounded using a Glimek CR-310 conical rounder (Glimakra, Sweden), rested on the bench (3 min), and then shaped into a cylinder using a B&B moulder (Oliver Packaging & Equipment Co., Grand Rapids, MI, USA). The dough was then placed in baking pans (19 cm L \(\times\) 10.9 cm W \(\times\) 11.5 cm D), proofed (80% RH; 42 \({}^{\circ}\)C) to a height of 0.7 cm below the top edge of the pan and baked (200 \({}^{\circ}\)C, 25 min) in a Picard reel oven (Drummondville, QC, Canada). Proof time was recorded. Five loaves were baked from each dough.  
Dough handling properties, including dough softness, stickiness, moulding performance, and dough stability, which gives an indication of dough machinability at different stages of the bread-making process, were assessed by an experienced baker. Dough softness was assessed by touching the dough with the fingers when it was removed from the mixer, with a soft dough being desirable for white pan bread. Dough stickiness was determined during dough scaling by assessing the degree of stickiness to the hands, with low stickiness being desirable. Dough moulding performance was assessed visually after passing the dough ball through the moulder and assessing the tightness of the dough cylinder after being formed with the pressure board of the moulder. A balance of extensibility and resistance during sheeting and forming is desirable. A tight dough cylinder tends to produce a loaf with a fine and uniform crumb. Dough stability was determined after proofing by assessing the degree of spring back after the dough was gently pressed with the index  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c} \hline \hline  & & \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Fermment Inclusion Level (\%)**} \\ \cline{3-6}
**Ingredient** & **Baker’s \%** & \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Ingredient Weight (g)**} \\ \cline{3-6}  & & **0** & **30** & **50** & **70** \\ \hline Wheat flour 1  & 100 & 2619 & 2245 & 1995 & 1746 \\ Water & 65–69 2  & 1702–1807 & 1290–1396 & 1016–1121 & 742–847 \\ Fermment & variable & 0 & 786 3 & 1310 & 1833 \\ Yeast & 6.5 & 170 & 170 & 170 & 170 \\ Salt & 1.5 & 39 & 39 & 39 & 39 \\ Dough improver & 1 & 26 & 26 & 26 & 26 \\ Oil & 1 & 26 & 26 & 26 & 26 \\ Sugar & 0.5 & 13 & 13 & 13 & 13 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 5: Bread formulation with adjusted levels of wheat flour and water to compensate for addition of ferment.  
finger. Doughs with high stability should spring back after being pressed without showing a finger indentation indicating a good balance of gas retention and gas production in the dough. A total of 28 days of ferment preparation and baking were required to complete two replications of each ferment processing trial.