CHANGES IN CARBOHYDRATE FRACTIONS IN ENZYME-SUPPLEMENTED BREAD AND THE POTENTIAL RELATIONSHIP TO STALING

White breads were prepared with and without bacterial α‐amylase. Breads containing α‐amylase became firm (staled) more slowly than did those without the added enzyme. Larger quantities of carbohydrate were extracted from enzyme‐supplemented breads. The additional carbohydrate was mainly branched‐chain material with an average chain length (CL) of 19–24. Thus, the α‐amylase acts on starch during baking to form predominantly branched‐chain polymers of lower molecular weight. These polymers apparently have a decreased ability to retrograde, interfere with the ability of amylopectin to retrograde after the bread is baked, or interfere with other interactions involved in firming, thus reducing the extent of firming (staling). Copyright © 1990 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim