Measuring and testing – Flour – dough – or bread
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-08
2001-06-26
Williams, Hezron (Department: 2856)
Measuring and testing
Flour, dough, or bread
C073S054250, C426S578000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250147
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method of analyzing an example of a starch-containing product. The invention also relates to a device for such analyses.
STATE OF THE ART
It is well known that starch with the addition of fluid, often water, thickens during heating and then thins out with continued heating as a consequence of that the enzyme alpha-amylas converts the starch. Depending on the amount and strength of this enzyme and the resistance of the starch to the enzyme, various degrees of conversion of the starch or alpha-amylas activity are obtained under predetermined conditions.
A well-established, quick and reliable method for the determination of alpha-amylas activity has for many years been the drop number method. In accordance with this method a special apparatus is used, where a precision test tube containing a suspension of a precise sample amount of the actual starch-containing product in a precise amount of distilled water is placed in a boiling waterbath, whereafter agitating of the sample takes place for a certain time with a special agitator, which after finished agitating is allowed to drop, and the time it takes for the agitator to fall a precise distance is measured. The total time in seconds, from that the test tube has been placed in the waterbath and until the agitator after finished agitating has fallen a predetermined distance, defines a drop number value, which consequently forms a measure of the degree of alpha-amylas activity in the actual sample. The drop number value consequently varies according to the properties of the sample.
For e.g. wheat samples the drop number value can vary between approx. 62, which indicates a high degree of alpha-amylas activity, and approx. 400, which indicates a low alpha-amylas activity. For rye samples the drop number interval is less, approx. 62 to approx. 200, with the same proportions between the amount of samples and the amount of water.
During the baking of bread from wheat resp. rye it has been shown that certain drop number values are instructive for predicting the baking result in connection with the processes which are usually used in the western world for baking. For wheat, a drop number of approx. 250 is considered to define a flour which gives a good baked product. Lower drop numbers tend to give a sticky bread crumb while higher drop numbers, e.g. over 400, gives a dry crumb and also a smaller bread volume.
The drop number method is today an established standard method for the branch organizations around the world for the determination of alpha-amylas activity. Generally for this method, the drop number apparatus, which is manufactured by the company Perten Instruments AB, Huddinge, Sweden, is used
The usability of the drop number method is amongst other things dependent on the fact that the temperature profile during testing has been shown to have a large correspondence with the temperature profile in bread during baking, at least in the critical region of 60°-90° C. Experience has, however, shown that the drop number does not give exhaustive information on the properties of a raw material, but two raw materials with the same drop number can have different properties in varying respects.
It is also previously known to use different methods for determining how the viscosity of a water suspension of a sample changes when the suspension is heated up and then allowed to cool. In such a standard method according to Brabender (Amylograph) the suspension is heated up from 25° C. to 95° C. with an even rate of temperature increase and with constant agitating. When the temperature of 95° C. is obtained, the temperature is held at this value for 30 minutes (first holding period) with continued agitating. Thereafter the suspension is cooled to 50° C. at a certain rate and then held at this temperature for 30 minutes (second holding period). The agitation resistance, i.e. the torque, herewith gives a measure of the viscosity. Here one has, however, been especially interested in certain places on a curve which gives viscosity as a function of time. First and foremost, one has looked at the initially obtained peak value of the viscosity, but also the viscosity value when reaching 95° C. has been of interest Then one has been interested in the viscosity value at the end of the first holding period, when the temperature is still 95° C. Another viscosity value of interest has been the point where the temperature has dropped to 50° C., and finally at the end of the second holding period, i.e. after 30 minutes at 50° C. This method is time-demanding and is aimed at giving the viscosity values at special stages of the testing at special temperatures.
In the modem food industry the requirement is growing for, in a simple and reliable way, to be able to determine the properties of a raw material so that e.g. it becomes easy to select the right raw material for a certain product which can be made according to a special process, in order to obtain an even and good quality for the product. There is a corresponding requirement for being able to sort different raw materials for suitable processes.
The named methods have deficiencies in this respect, wherefore it is desirable with simple means to be able to bring forth better methods for determining the properties, especially with respect to the starch and enzyme properties, of different starch-containing products.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to make it possible to simply obtain refined and clear information about the properties of the starch and the influence of the alpha-amylas enzyme in the starch in a temperature region which is important for the starch. The object is also to produce a reliable device which makes it possible to perform the desired analysis.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A proposed method in accordance with the invention to perform the analysis is stated below. Advantageous variants of this method are also disclosed. By studying the changes of the viscosity of the sample during heating, a property profile is obtained for the sample with respect to its heating properties and by comparing this property profile with at least on corresponding predetermined property profile, it is possible to more closely determine the nature of these properties. It has been shown to be especially rewarding to study the viscosity changes as a function of the temperature in the sample. In this way a picture is obtained of how the sample behaves in a manufacturing process.
In accordance with the invention it has been shown that an excellent device for analysis is obtained through modifying a known falling numbers apparatus. This solution furthermore offers the extremely large advantage that the apparatus obtained can still be used for falling number determination, wherein a more complete analysis of a sample can be made than that which was previously possible.
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Larena AG
Politzer Jay L.
Williams Hezron
Young & Thompson
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