Comparison of Conventional and Microwave Baked Bread Concerning Recrystallization of Starch Molecules

Bread is one of the most important foods in industrial countries and it is at its best when consumed fresh. One of the major problems during storage of baked products is staling. Bread staling incorporates a combination of physical and chemical changes resulting in a decrease of bread quality. The predominant mechanism of staling is the time-dependent recrystallization of starch molecules. Avoiding this recrystallization is one of the most desired topics in science of bread technology but still not solved. Therefore, this study investigates a new possibility by trying to influence the recrystallization of starch with microwave heating. For this, the differences between microwave and conventional baked rye-wheat bread were examined concerning the difference of water activity and firmness of the bread during time. As result, a faster water loss during storage period could be observed in microwave heated bread, which probably implies an even more rapid recrystallization instead the desired avoiding of recrystallization of starch.