Masters Theses

Date of Award

5-1992

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Food Science and Technology

Major Professor

Marjorie P. Penfield

Committee Members

Sharon Melton, Genevieve Christen

Abstract

Food scientists have investigated the effects of microwave baking primarily on the quality of cakes. Little research has been devoted to the quality of baked products from stored batters and/or the effects of leavening agents in these stored batters. Therefore, the quality of refrigerated batter containing encapsulated sodium bicarbonate differing in encapsulate melt point and particle size of the sodium bicarbonate and muffins baked in two ovens, microwave and conventional, was investigated.

Bran muffin batter was prepared with encapsulated sodium bicarbonate with 3 encapsulate melt points (110°F, 125°F, and 140°F) or 2 particle sizes (#1, or very small or #5, coarse). Batter was stored in glass jars at 0-1°C and batter and muffins were tested after 1 da (0 wk), and 1, 2, 3, and 4 wk. Batter tests included pH, CO2 evolution, viscosity, and density. Muffin tests included muffin weight, specific volume, color, and sensory evaluation of microwave and conventional ly baked muffins.

Batter pH increased in both encapsulated melt point and particle size studies within the first week of storage (6.1 to 6.5 and 5.8 to 6.0, respectively). Muffins containing the 110°F or 140°F encapsulate melt points and baked in the microwave oven had the highest specific volumes that increased with storage (2.69 to 3.01 and 2.41 to 3.08 cm3/g, respectively); whereas, muffins containing the melt point 125°F encapsulate and baked in the microwave had the lowest specific volume (1.64 to 1.85 cm3/g). Muffins baked in the conventional oven and containing all encapsulate melt points had specific volumes above microwave-baked muffins containing the 125°F melt point encapsulate. Hunter "L" values for muffins baked in the conventional oven containing al l encapsulate melt points (110°F, 125°F, and 140°F) were lower (35.2, 35.3, and 36.2, respectively) than muffins baked in the microwave (40.1, 37.1, and 41.2, respectively), which agreed with sensory panel scores for color. Panelists evaluated muffins baked in the microwave as flatter than muffins baked in the conventional oven regardless of encapsulate melt point or particle size. Muffins baked in the conventional and microwave ovens containing particle size 1 had greater specific volumes (2.1 and 2.6 cm3/g, respectively) than muffins containing particle size 5 (1.9 and 1.8 cm3/g, respectively). Muffins containing particle size 1 or 5 baked in the conventional oven had lower Hunter "L" values (35.8 and 35.3, respectively) than muffins baked in the microwave oven (40.2 and 36.9, respectively), which agreed with sensory scores.

With regard to the products studied, the 110°F encapsulate melt point sodium bicarbonate was not recommended for use by the supplier due to the possibility of encapsulate degradation during shipping and/or storing. If a product is formulated for use in the microwave, then the 125°F (particle size #5) encapsulate melt point sodium bicarbonate would not be recommended because of the consistently poor performance when baked by this method. Of the encapsulated sodium bicarbonates used in this study, the HO'^F melt point and the 125°F (particle size #1) melt point products resulted in the most acceptable muffins. Selection of an encapsulated sodium bicarbonate should be related to the nature of the product, storage time, and baking method.

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