Technical FAQs

How are starch and damaged starch determined?

Solution: The amount of starch in wheat flour can easily be determined by washing the starch out and drying the suspension thus obtained, the determination of the damaged starch can be carried out by chemical end group analysis or modern enzymatic methods. in this case special enzymes are used that cause measurable conversion of materials, starch damage can also be determined by S.D.Matic machine from chopping France.

Gluten quality in flour is sufficient as per the standard flour specification still I am not getting bread with good loaf volume?

Solution: Gluten Quantity & quality both are responsible for flour quality to get good volume loaf, check gluten index of the flour.
Suitable improver could be used to get good bread, if flour is too strong/ too weak/too short gluten will not give good volume to bread loaf.

How we can increase the Water absorption of flour?

Hydrocolloids such as guar gum or carboxymethyl cellulose are able to increase water absorption, but some enzymes improve the uptake of water too; they include pentosanase, which acts specifically on the insoluble pentosan fraction, increased starch damage also increases water absorption but reduces stability.
Water absorption can also be increased by the addition of W A PLUS to flour-it is available with stern ingredients India Pvt Ltd.
By adding Dry gluten or using more hard wheat in the grist water absorption can be increased in certain extent.

How we can brighten the color of the flour?

Chlorine, chlorine dioxide (both are gaseous) or benzoyl peroxide (powder) can be used for bleaching. In contrast to chlorine and chlorine dioxide, benzoyl peroxide has almost no maturing effect on the flour. The treatment with benzoyl peroxide takes 24-72 hr. to become visible.

How we can increase the brightness of the crumb?

Bleached flour will result in a brighter crumb color. The same effect can be achieved with enzyme-active soybean or fava bean flour; in all cases the flour pigments are affected. brightening with ascorbic acid , Monoglycerides, Hemicellulase and some other additive rests on a purely physical phenomenon; they reduce the pore size i.e. they create a finer crumb structure , smaller pores cast less shadow and therefore appear brighter.

Is there any Multi-Purpose improver that will work for all Bakery products like Bread, parotha, Rusk, Puff, Burger bun Etc by using same flour?

Generally for different baked products requires different flour quality, if you use specific improver for specific product it will give best result where as if someone requires single improver for all baked products then they will get the products with average quality.

Why the flour gives off-flavor?

The smell is probably caused by unsuitable transportation or storage conditions resulting in mould formation, if the damage is only superficial, thorough cleaning and milling with a low yield will remove most of the substance that smells. In the past, attempts have also be made to mix grain with active charcoal in order to absorb the substance responsible for the smell. The charcoal was subsequently removed by sifting.
Off smell may be a carry-over from the rain damaged/water damaged wheat, or it may have been caused by unsuitable storage of the flour itself, there is no viable method for removing the smell from the flour. Adding it in small amounts to intact flour is probably the only way to use the flour.

Parotha Improver is working effectively with zero resting time; whereas dough becomes sticky, slack after 4-6 hours resting time?

If Parotha improver is with enzyme, in initial period enzyme activity will be optimum, as the dough with parotha improver will be kept for longer period the enzymes will keep acting on the dough protein, and dough will get slack.

Why we are unable to get the oven-spring of bread?

if Baking is carried out under standard baking conditions with suitable improver, it will give oven spring, but if the flour is too weak then dough will collapse, where as if the flour is too strong or with excess amount of oxidants then dough will become too strong, hence bread will not get oven spring.

Why does Benzoyl peroxide not succeed in bleaching Chakki Atta?

The dark color of wholemeal flour is not only due to carotenoids with which benzoyl peroxide reacts
Because of the high concentration of pigments the BPO is exhausted before it achieves a brighter color
The benzoyl peroxide was premixed with flour and stored for more than just a few hours. This results in a partial or even complete reaction with the carrier, but not with the main flour
The dark color is partially caused by foreign substances e.g. metal debris from the rollers or fortifying agents containing dark substances.

What are the important parameters to be consider while preparing improver premix?

While making improver premix we need to consider following facts

Density of the improver & density of the carrier
Flowing properties of the carrier
Reaction of improver on carrier
Effect of carrier on the flour characteristics
Granulation of carrier
Moisture of carrier
FSSAI Standards for material used for carrier

How we can increase the shelf life of bread?

Baked goods are almost sterile, or at least pasteurized, when they leave the oven. Microbial contamination occurs through re-infection. Re-infection can only be prevented by a sterile packaging area following the oven or by a second heating step with the bread already wrapped in heat stable packaging material. If this is not feasible, cooling of the baked goods is another option, but this accelerates the staling rate, if no wrapping is applied, more extensive baking (and thus drying of the surface) improves resistance to mould growth, finally, preservatives helps to suppress microbial growth finally, in order to limit the off-taste caused by the preservative, combinations of several agents are recommended e.g. propionate or sorbates with acetates.

Why the bread loaf gets caved in from top?

Bread loaf gets caved in because of excessive proofing/excess improver/excess oven rise to overcome above fault either reduce proofing time/reduce improver/reduce baking temperature or use slight top curved lid on the bread pan (curvature at center would be around 8 to 10 mm).

General FAQs

Is Nensey and Stern the same company?

Yes they earlier Nensey and Muhlenhchemie worked together in flour milling industry. Both have come together as Stern Ingredients India Private Limited. Mc is a flour ingredients division of Stern Wywiol Group, Germany, whereas as Nensey is one of the Food Divisions of Palani Group of Companies, India.

Are your products FSSAI Certified?

Yes, all are products are FSSAI certified. Not only that we are also ISO and GMP certified

Why should we use flour improvers?

Wheat being a natural product, always has fluctuation and milling flour from inconsistent wheat is a challenge for our millers. Our flour treatment and improvement, adjusts the flour quality thereby standardizing their flour and offering their end customer consistent flour.

Can you provide with specific solution for specific application / requirement

Yes, we have more than 100 products in our range. We understand the needs of our customers and provide them with specific solutions, whether its high quality bread flour or premium South Indian parotha flour, whether its increasing WAP or increasing Falling number.