Stages of Industrial Bread Production

The stages of industrial bread production include:

Fifth Stage:

secondary fermentation

Phase Four:

Kneading and rolling dough

Stage Three:

Processing and reaching the dough

Phase Two:

Mixing and kneading dough

Stage One:

Dough Preparation

Stage Nine:

Cooling and Packaging

Stage Eight:

Bread baking

Stage Seven:

Dough kneading

Stage Six:

Molding and Final Shaping

History of Bread

In historical texts, the history of bread dates back almost 30,000 years, and evidence related to fermentation and the use of leavening agents has been mentioned to about 10,000 years ago. However, the industrial production of bread in European countries has a history of almost 200 years. According to statistics, approximately 35% of all breads worldwide are produced industrially and in large quantities, while 65% of breads are produced in smaller quantities and sold retail in bakeries and shops.

1)Dough Preparation :

Preparing dough is possible in two ways: manual and machine. The machine method can be done in two ways: continuous and discontinuous In the discontinuous method, first a dough with specific low weight is prepared and then it is baked after going through various stages Professional bakers and novice amateurs use weighing scales to measure ingredients, while in the continuous method, all the raw materials, additives, water, salt, yeast, and, if used, sugar, oil, and milk are automatically added together in one step. The dough is prepared without interruption and kneaded continuously, then it undergoes various stages of continuous baking

Professional bakers and novice amateurs perform weighing operations using a weighing scale. The dough should be mixed and kneaded after preparation This task is done using various mixers The purpose of using mixers is to prepare and expand dough The operation of a blender depends on its structure. It is better to use a blender for mixing the raw ingredients, and for kneading the dough and processing it, it is better to use a faster speed. Some blenders have a rotating container, while others are stationary and consist of one or two arms that are spiral or coiled Old blenders with low power used to operate at speeds of 60-30 rotations per minute. While modern mixers today rotate at speeds of 250-80 revolutions per minute, some even reach speeds of 3000-1000 revolutions per minute.
Due to the intense and rapid mixing of solid raw materials with water, the particles and components of the flour are uniformly swollen and dissolved through a process The mixing of the ingredients concludes when:
The components of flour are not initially visible
Water should not be dense or even scarce in the dough
The dough should not become smooth and uniform, and the flour particles should be discernible as grains or dots
The dough easily tears when stretched
After this stage, the dough should be kneaded
Using fresh and dry yeast in various types of bread

۵) Middle Fermentation(Middle Rest Room):

In this stage, the dough pieces are allowed to rest for 15 to 20 minutes to undergo fermentation. The duration of this time varies depending on the type of bread and the amount of yeast used In this time period, clean and dry towels are placed on the dough to prevent the outer layer of the dough from drying out

6)Final Formatting and Shaping:

Sculpting is the process of shaping each individual piece of dough and reaching the final form, which is the shape of a free-form bread loaf, placing it on a tray, using toppings, and so on

7)Final Fermentation (Dough Proofing):

The term sourdough refers to the final rise during which shaped bread loaves are left to rest for 12 to 24 hours and allow the dough to ferment before being baked in a warm environment
The packaging should be kept at room temperature for the last time and undergo final fermentation

۸) Baking Bread:

When the dough is placed in a hot oven, it withstands the flames and undergoes one final rise as the yeast activates to make the dough rise The temperature and cooking time depend on the type of oven (static, rotating, convection, rack, etc.) and the use of steam. In technical terms, baking time is the duration during which starches gelatinize and sugars caramelize, giving the final appearance to the bread

2)Mixing and kneading dough:

Proper use of hands or a mixing device is required to blend the ingredients together for the dough to take shape Kneading or working with dough by hand or machine distributes the ingredients more evenly and develops gluten in the dough The initial arrival of dough is a process through which gluten (a protein present in dough) is released, and during which yeast grows and reproduces Yeast in flour digests sugars and produces alcohol and carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide trapped in packages resulting from the fermentation process causes bread to expand, or colloquially, ‘rise At this stage, if the dough is baked on the same day, it can be left at room temperature or the fermentation period can be delayed in a cool environment Doughs that are delayed for 12 to 24 hours generally have a stronger aroma and are more easily incorporated into the production schedule Furthermore, a significant amount of natural acid is also produced in the process Punching and kneading the dough, also known as dough folding, leads to a reduction in the overall volume of the dough mass (by gently pressing the dough down or folding it), but the dough should not be hit The purpose of this action is twofold: English: “One is increasing dough resistance and gluten tolerance, and the other is releasing gas from the dough

۳) Processing and allowing the dough to rest:

After the fist and the money, the dough is allowed to rest before moving on to the next step

۴) Initial Shaping of the Dough (Kneading and Rolling the Dough):

At this stage, each piece of dough gradually forms into a round ball. Uniform kneading allows for further stages”]

۹)Chilling and packaging bread:

Cooling starts when the bread is taken out of the oven Bread should be completely cooled down before slicing or packaging. Cooling racks are typically nothing more than wire racks that allow air to circulate freely around all sides of the bread. Even bread loaves baked in a pan are quickly removed and placed on a cooling rack so that the bottom does not become soggy from trapped steam. Storing and preserving bread prevents it from drying out or starch retrogradation, and it should begin only after the bread is taken out of the oven and fully cooled. To preserve the thin and crispy crust of bread, it is best not to wrap some types of bread, especially thin ones. However, today many bakers are forced to do so. As soon as a slice of bread is wrapped in plastic, the drying process slows down, and the crust becomes softer. Covering and placing bread in the freezer helps preserve its quality for a longer period of time and accelerates the drying process.

Why are some commercial breads large and fluffy, while others are thin and crispy?

In general, bread can be divided into two main categories; one category includes flatbreads such as lavash, sangak, barbari, and taftoon, while the other category encompasses leavened breads As the name suggests, leavened breads are larger and have more volume and fluff than flatbreads. For example, baguettes and sandwich breads are categorized as leavened breads. The type of production process plays a fundamental role in determining whether bread will be leavened or flat. Industrial bread can be made in both flat and leavened varieties. Unfortunately, the word ‘dough,’ which is synonymous with uncooked, is an incorrect term to refer to leavened breads. This issue also relates to the culture of consuming flatbreads in Iran. Leavened breads have a spongy texture that arises from the processing of this type of bread, and being large is one of the characteristics of leavened breads. “Also, the reason for the thin and crispy texture of flatbreads is that they have less moisture compared to leavened breads. For example, breads like lavash do not have a spongy texture and lose more of their water content during baking.

The difference between traditional bread and industrial bread:

Industrial bread refers to bread that is mass-produced in factories, while traditional bread is produced in small workshops and bakeries with more manual labor involved. When we use the term ‘industrial’ for bread, we should not assume that industrial breads have a particular shape or that they are only leavened breads. The term ‘industrial’ refers to bread that is produced with minimal manual intervention, using more machinery and in large quantities in a factory setting, as opposed to traditional bread that is produced with more human labor in small workshops or rural homes. Any bread that is produced with machinery, such as baguettes, toast, or even lavash, is considered industrial bread. Therefore, the main difference between these two types of bread is the amount produced and the use of machinery. Most people mistakenly believe that only large, leavened breads like baguettes and toast are industrial, when in fact, many of these breads are produced in fancy bakeries. An industrial bread factory is capable of producing various types of bread in large quantities, including baguettes, toast, or even lavash. The amount of bread produced in an industrial bread factory is around 20 tons per day, so producing one hour’s worth of bread in a factory is equivalent to several days’ worth of production in a small bakery or workshop. Therefore, the main difference between these two types of bread is the amount produced and the use of machinery instead of human labor

Advantages and disadvantages of industrial bread compared to traditional bread:

In the production of industrial bread, less human labor is used due to the use of automatic and semi-automatic machines, which means that higher hygiene standards are maintained. Industrial bread has a longer shelf life compared to other types of bread due to the use of yeast, packaging, improvers, and dried milk in its production. Energy consumption in industrial bread factories is lower because indirect heat is used in the baking process, and its nutritional value is higher. Additionally, these factories can produce a wider variety of bread types. The use of various types of flour such as wheat, corn, oats, and bran is done solely to enrich the nutritional value of bread. Due to the use of additives such as iron, protein, and complete fermentation process, industrial bread is more nutritious compared to traditional bread.

Disadvantages of industrial bread production:

The lack of acceptance of industrial bread among consumers, the more palatability of traditional bread, and the need to use special protein-containing flour in the production of industrial bread, which is not available in Iran where flours are devoid of protein. This results in a high cost of protein enrichment and increases the final price of bread. Due to the poor quality of flour, it is not possible to produce various types of bread with a voluminous texture. Industrial bread with bran has less phytic acid compared to traditional bran bread due to its longer fermentation and complete fermentation process.
Considering the aforementioned stages, we realize that the bread production process is a complex process that involves various stages. We hope this article has helped you gain a better understanding of this industry.