Application Note: Water activity in bakery products

What can go wrong beside the growth of molds…

However tasty bakery products may be, it is quite an art to manufacture them so that they retain their constant quality, correct texture and necessary long-term stability and safety.

To narrow down the field, it should first be made clear what the term ‘bakery products’ really means. Bakery products are an umbrella term for baked goods with cereals or cereal products as their main ingredient. They are usually manufactured by bakeries and confectionaries. They can be roughly divided into the groups: bread, bread rolls and pastries, including a special subgroup of more durable preserved bakery products, which show lower moisture content.

What kind of problems occur?

As consumers, we very quickly react to any sensory changes in products. This also applies to stale taste, or a biscuit lacking crispy texture. Add to this the microbiological risk: the consumer shows little enthusiasm when the cake gets mouldy or may have even been infected with dangerous bacteria (E. Coli, Salmonellae, etc.). Such problems can be addressed by reducing the risk of ‘noncompliant’ product at the consumer’s end.