The Volscan Profiler in Bakery Research

Loaf volume is of paramount importance to bread quality evaluation. It is a vital aspect of the consumer’s perception of value as in bread and other leavened goods, higher volume for a given weight is invariably associated with a more aerated crumb and superior texture.

For a baker or bread manufacturer, each batch of flour has to be evaluated by test baking to ensure that bread is made to a uniformly high quality. One component of this quality control is measurement of the volume of the bread, which can give information relating to the density of the bread crumb and the strength of the gluten in the flour. This volume information can then be used to modify the dough mix used in bread production to produce bread of the appropriate quality. This procedure is important, not only for the inherent qualities of the bread, but to ensure that the selected dough-piece weight produces a loaf of the correct size for the standard tins used in the baking process.

The baked product must also be capable of being handled by automatic slicing machines and packed into standard sized bags. It is therefore important to have a precise and rapid method for the measurement of the volume of bread loaves, enabling control and monitoring of bread-making conditions and manufacturing operations.

The Volscan Profiler is a benchtop laser based scanner that measures the volume of bread and bakery products with maximum dimensions of 600mm long and 380mm diameter, with a typical test time of less than 60 seconds. As well as volume, 19 related parameters are automatically measured, such as product height, width, length and weight. It also enables the rapid 3-dimensional digitisation of products that can be archived and then treated mathematically to yield detailed dimensional information for immediate use or future retrieval.

This instrument rapidly provides the accurate data essential in the fields of both Quality Control and Product Development. Compliance with the standard method AACC Method 10-16.01 provides further reassurance for operators with preference for the use of standard methods. There have been countless publications since the launch of the VolScan Profiler over ten years ago showing its versatility in both academic and industrial settings. Some examples of the most recent Volscan research in the bakery industry are outlined below.

Researchers from Sejong University have been investigating turanose as a sugar alternative in a frozen dough system, including their rheology, tomography and baking performance. They used their TA.XTplus Texture Analyser to measure tensile properties and their Volscan Profiler 600 to measure specific loaf volume. The use of turanose for sugar did not negatively affect the thermo-mechanical parameters of wheat dough. In the case of thermal properties, the gelatinisation temperature was lowered by turanose from 68 to 64°C. The dynamic viscoelastic measurements demonstrated that the turanose-incorporated doughs showed more viscous characteristics by showing greater decreases in the storage modulus that could also be related to greater dough extensibility. When the frozen doughs were baked, the turanose-incorporated bread showed a significant increase in its specific loaf volume from 4.23 to 4.41 mL/g. These volume differences could be attributed to the inner structural characteristics (increased total volume of pore space and total porosity) of the breads measured by the tomographic analysis. Furthermore, the positive effects of turanose on the soft texture of frozen dough breads were distinctly observed. Read more

Researchers from the Technical University of Munich have been investigating water absorption capacity as a determination of the functionality of vital gluten releated to specific bread volume. Vital gluten is often used in baking to supplement weak wheat flours and improve their baking quality. Even with the same recipe, variable final bread volumes are common, because the functionality differs between vital gluten samples also from the same manufacturer. To understand why, the protein composition of ten vital gluten samples was investigated as well as their performance in a microbaking test depending on the water content in the dough. They used their Volscan Profiler to measure bread volume. The gluten content and composition as well the content of free thiols and disulfide bonds of the samples were similar and not related to the specific bread volumes obtained using two dough systems, one based on a baking mixture and one based on a weak wheat flour. Variations of water addition showed that an optimal specific volume of 1.74–2.38 mL/g (baking mixture) and 4.25–5.49 mL/g (weak wheat flour) was reached for each vital gluten sample depending on its specific water absorption capacity. Read more

A patent has recently been released by BASF, entitled 'Lipase Enzymes'. Several different enzymes can be used for making bread, for example lipases have been known to improve the stability and volume of the bread. However, the industry still needs a lipase that improves volume, stability, tolerance, reduces or eliminates the additive diacetyl tartaric acid esters of monoglycerides. This patentis explored lipase enzymes that meet or exceed these industrial requirements. They used their Volscan Profiler to measure volume as well as specific volume. Find out more

Scientists from Manisa Celal Bayar University have been researching the use of persimmon powder in gluten-free cakes with determination of their physical, chemical, functional and sensory properties. Nutritious snack foods are of great importance for celiac people. This study investigated the effects of partial substitution of sugar with persimmon powder as a source of sugar, in gluten-free cake formulation. They used their Volscan Profiler to measure volume, specific volume and density. Substitution of sugar with 20 and 40% persimmon powder resulted in statistically comparable cakes with control in terms of specific volume and density. Springiness, cohesiveness and resilience decreased; hardness and chewiness increased by increasing persimmon powder substitution. Enriched gluten-free cakes with increased K, antioxidant activity, total phenolic content as well as favourable sensorial and physical properties were achieved by 20 and 40% persimmon powder substitution. This study can help socialisation of celiac people outside their houses by providing nutritious cakes. Read more

A patent has recently been released by KU Leuven, entitled 'Wholemeal Bread with Reduced FODMAP Content'. Dietary habits are believed to play a major role in pathogenesis of Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and a diet low in specific short-chain carbohydrates has been shown to markedly alleviate IBS symptoms in numerous cases. The presumably responsible carbohydrates are known by their acronym ‘FODMAPs’, meaning fermentable oligo-, di-, and monosaccharides and polyols. FODMAPs represent a group of short-chain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols comprising fructose, lactose, fructo- and galacto-oligosaccharides (fructans and galactans) and polyols. Patients suffering from IBS but also Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) or non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) are advised to follow a diet that is limited in FODMAPs, which includes avoiding wheat and wheat-derived products like bread since wheat contains relatively high fructan levels and is therefore a major source of FODMAPs. This patent presents a method for reducing fermentable oligo-, di-, and monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAP) levels in grain-based food products by addition of K. marxianus to the food making process. They used their Volscan Profiler to measure bread volume. Find out more

In a fast-paced baking industry, rapid product measurement and provision of automatically calculated quality control pass or fail benchmarks is key to manufacturing intelligence and success. The Volscan Profiler has been helping manufacturers to achieve these aims for over a decade.

To find out more about how a Volscan Profiler works click here

There is a Texture Analysis test for virtually any physical property. Contact Stable Micro Systems today to learn more about our full range of solutions.

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For more information on how to measure texture, please visit the Texture Analysis Properties section on our website.

The TA.XTplus texture analyser is part of a family of texture analysis instruments and equipment from Stable Micro Systems. An extensive portfolio of specialist attachments is available to measure and analyse the textural properties of a huge range of food products. Our technical experts can also custom design instrument fixtures according to individual specifications.

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