Hearth bread characteristics:: Effect of protein quality, protein content, whole meal flour, DATEM, proving time, and their interactions

The effects of protein quality, protein content, ingredients, and baking process of flour blends on hearth loaves were studied. The flour blends varied in protein composition and content. Flours of strong protein quality produced hearth loaves with larger loaf volume, larger bread slice area, and higher form ratio (height/width) than flours of weak protein quality. The effect of protein content on hearth loaf depended on the size distribution of the proteins. Increasing protein content was associated with increased percentage of the largest glutenin polymers, and loaf volume and slice area increased significantly. The form ratio, however, remained unchanged with increasing flour protein content. Strong protein quality flours tolerated addition of whole meal flour better than weak protein quality flours. Increased amount of flour with strong protein quality improved hearth bread characteristics to a larger extent than increased protein content. Diacetyl tartaric acid ester of monoglycerides (DATEM) improved hearth bread characteristics, but the effect was small compared with the effect of protein composition.