Unit-7

7.1. Define Rope.

Rope: It is a chief disease of the bread caused by bacillus mesentericus valgatus which
generally comes from the soil. It is deposited in the crease of the wheat berry and in spite of thorough
cleaning during milling process all of the bacteria do not get removed completely. Hence these microorganisms get mixed in the resultant flour. Apart from this basic source the bacteria may also find its
way to the product from some of the ingredients (such as salt, sugar) or if unhygienic conditions
prevail in the bakery premises. It is the peculiar characteristic of these bacteria that it is not destroyed
during baking operations and if initially infected the bread remains as heavily infected even after
baking.
7.2 Define Mold.
Mold: Mold or Mould is a minute fungus which occurs in moist warm conditions and grows
on bread. Spores of various kinds of moulds are always present in the atmosphere, and these spores
start growing whenever they find suitable conditions of warmth and moisture in the crumb of bread.
Spores enter through the cracks on the surface of the bread and proliferate inside spoiling the entire
crumb.
7.3. Explain about bread diseases and how to rectify them?
Rope: It is a chief disease of the bread. It is caused by bacillus mesentericus valgatus which
generally comes from the soil. It is deposited in the crease of the wheat berry and in spite of thorough
cleaning during milling process; all of these bacteria do not get removed completely. Hence these
micro organisms get mixed with resultant flour. Apart from this basic source, the bacteria may also
find its way to the product from some of the ingredients (such as salt, sugar,) or if unhygienic
conditions prevail in the bakery premises. It is the peculiar characteristic of these bacteria, that it is
not destroyed during baking operations and if initially infected the bread remains as heavily infected
even after baking.
Symptoms of Rope:
1. At the initial stage of disease, it develops a peculiar smell, which may be similar to rotten fruit or
overripe pineapple.
2. The crumb becomes a little discoloured and sticky.
3. As the time passes, the smell becomes overwhelmingly unpleasant.
4. The crumb becomes brown discoloured as well as soft and sticky.
5. While separating two slices from each other, a thin rope like thread is seen.
6. Very heavy infection may almost liquefy the crumb
Control of rope:
1. Some acid substances may be added to the dough when mixing. 2 to 3gms of Calcium Propionate
can be added for 1kg of flour. 2 to 5ml of diluted acetic acid for 1kg of flour and vinegar 2 to 8ml for
1kg of flour may be added.

2. Cleanliness of the bakery [the utensils, tools, equipments and building should be cleaned].
3. Satisfactory storage conditions for the flour and all other ingredients.
4. Storage room should be well ventilated.
5. Warm and humid conditions should be avoided. [Temperature between 70-95 0 F and humidity
between 65-97% are quite suitable for bread storage].
6. Good vigorous fermentation.
7. Balancing the bread recipe.
8. When packing, the bread should never be super imposed on each other.
9. Cooling the loaves as quickly as possible on wire grids with a good air space between in a cool
corridor.
10. Bread always should be well baked, having uniform golden brown color on all the sides
11. Preventing any infected bread coming in to the bakery
12. In overnight sponge the chance for rope is less
13. An under baked bread should never be packed with the well baked bread because it allows the
moisture to escape out
Mold: Mold or Mould is a minute fungus which occurs in moist warm conditions and grows on
bread. Spores of various kinds of moulds are always present in the atmosphere. Spores start growing
whenever they find suitable conditions of warmth and moisture in the crumb of bread. Spores enter
through the cracks on the surface of the bread and proliferate inside spoiling the entire crumb. Bread
is normally infected by three kinds of mold
1)
White- mucor mucedo
2)
Greenish or Bluish- penicillium, aspergillus and
3)
Black aspergillus niger
Control of mold:

If under baked or under cooled bread is sliced, some of the crumb particles stick to slicer
blade that is contaminated by atmospheric mold-spores, which automatically transfer to
crumb of fresh batch when passed through the slicer. So never slice the bread when it is under
baked and when it is hot.
Store room should be well ventilated
Avoid packing of warm bread and storage of bread in a warm and humid atmosphere
Immediately dispose of the spoiled [mold affected] products because it will affect the fresh
product
The bread slicer blade should be cleaned before and after slicing the bread
Bakery area and equipments should be clean
When packing, the bread loaves should never be super imposed on one another
The bread should be kept on racks spaced about half an inch apart from each other
Personal hygiene is also very important
It may be desirable to install exhaust fall in the bread cooling room.

7.4. Write about the method used for detecting source of rope in bread?
Source of rope in bread could be easily checked by making test dough without the use of
ingredients which are under suspicion under most hygienic conditions. Along the side of the test
dough, regular dough should be made with all the ingredients used in the bakery. There are three
possibilities of results.
Firstly both the bread loaves may show a sign of ropiness which means that the material
which is being tested for the rope does not contain rope bacteria, instead some other
ingredients is at fault.
Secondly, the loaves, i.e. the test and regular loaf do not show sign of ropiness. This means
that none of the ingredients contain rope spores and rather the rope is present in the bakery in
which case the bakery needs a thorough cleaning.
Thirdly the rope develops only in the test dough, which means the suspected raw material was
at fault and therefore must be made to replace the effected ingredients.
7.5. Define mineral yeast food [MYF]
Mineral yeast food is a balanced combination of refined-soluble edible mineral salts commonly found
in most vegetables.
7.6 Mention the uses of Mineral Yeast Food [MYF]
Mineral yeast food [MYF] is used for
Supplying yeast with nutrients
Regulating enzyme activity
Conditioning gulten
Adjusting for variations in flour quality
Corrective for variable water supplies
It makes up for the deficiency in mineral salts needed for a healthy fermentation by supplying
nutrients to yeast
Reduces fermentation losses
Mellows, softens conditions and strengthen gluten, increases gas holding properties
The fast vigorous healthy action of the yeast produces bread with better flavour, crumb,
color, textures, bloom and more spring and life in the oven

7.7. Define bread improver and give its uses?

Bread Improver and its uses: The quality of finished bread depends largely on the quality of
the gluten formed. The quality of gluten formed can be improved by the addition of improvers.
Basically these are oxidizing agents. Although the nature of the chemical reactions are complex and
not fully understood, it is true to say that they bring about a greater degree of cross linking between
the protein molecules.
The increased cross-linking clearly increases the stability of the gluten frame work of the
product made from the flour to which improvers have been added, thus producing a better product

Improvers generally have a bleaching effect on the flour. white flour produced by the milling
process contains small quantities of pigmented materials which can be bleached by oxidizing agents,
thus increasing the whiteness of the flour.
In the past, improvement in the gluten quality was achieved to some extent by storing the
milled flour for some weeks to permit natural oxidation of the air to improve the gluten quality. The
process was known as ageing the flour.
A number of the other permitted additives may be present in flour in small quantities to
improve its storage properties and enhance its characteristic for a particular use.
7.8. Write the chemical substances used as bread improvers?
The following chemicals substances are used as bread improvers
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)

Potassium bromate
Ammonium chloride
Potassium chloride
Lime water
Calcium peroxide
Calcium propionate
Calcium phosphate, sodium and potassium acid phosphate
Potassium, sodium and ammonium persulphate
Potassium and ammonium sulphate
Ascorbic acid
Lactic acid

7.9. Define bread improver

Any added substance which adds oxygen to the dough and enhances the formation of stronger and
more extensible film may be called a bread improver.
7.10. Write the advantages and disadvantages of Bread improver.
Advantages:
1)
Quality of the final product is improved in all aspects.
2)
Shelf life of bread improves
3)
Crumb and crust color improves
4)
Small quantity of improver used brings best results. So it is economical to use
bread improvers to improve bread quality
5)
More volume more W.A.P helps in getting optimum bread production
Disadvantages:
1)
The quality recommended may vary according to the special need of the
baker.
2)
Over use of improvers may damage the entire lot of bread
3)
Improvers if not evenly mixed will bring out bread of poor quality
4)
Some improvers like soya flour will impart extra color and flavour to the
product
5)
Desirable effect in bread production may be obtained only by experimenting.