Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Fermentation processes – Of farinaceous cereal or cereal material
Reexamination Certificate
1995-11-08
2001-10-02
Wong, Leslie (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Fermentation processes
Of farinaceous cereal or cereal material
C426S019000, C426S020000, C426S549000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296883
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bread-improving or dough-improving composition comprising an enzyme as well as to a method of preparing a dough and/or a baked product by use of the composition.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the bread-making process it is known to add bread-improving and/or dough-improving additives to the bread dough, the action of which, inter alia, results in improved texture, volume, flavour and freshness of the bread as well as improved machinability of the dough.
In recent years a number of enzymes have been used as dough and/or bread improving agents, in particular enzymes which act on components present in large amounts in the dough. Examples of such enzymes are found within the groups of amylases, proteases and cellulases, including pentosanases.
Laccase (EC 1.10.3.2) is an enzyme catalyzing the conversion of benzenediols into benzosemiquinones according to the following formula:
4 benzenediol+O
2
=4 benzosemiquinone+2H
2
O.
The enzyme has been used in the paper and pulp industry as well as for diagnosis, but the use of the enzyme in baking has never been suggested.
It is the object of the present invention to improve the properties of dough and/or baked products by the use of a laccase enzyme.
BRIEF DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, in a first aspect the present invention relates to a bread-improving and/or a dough-improving composition comprising a laccase enzyme.
In the present context the terms “bread-improving composition” and “dough-improving composition” are intended to indicate compositions which, in addition to the enzyme component, may comprise other substances conventionally used in baking to improve the properties of dough and/or baked products. Examples of such components are given below.
Without being limited to any theory it is presently contemplated that when a laccase enzyme is added to dough used for producing baked products, it may exert an oxidizing effect on dough constituents and thereby serve to, e.g., improve the strength of gluten structures in dough and/or baked products. Further improved properties may also be shown to be obtained.
In the present context the term “improved properties” is intended to indicate any property which may be improved by the action of a laccase enzyme. In particular, the use of laccase results in an increased volume and an improved crumb structure and softness of the baked product, as well as an increased strength, stability and reduced stickiness and thereby improved machinability of the dough. The effect on the dough has been found to be particularly good when a poor quality flour has been used. The improved machinability is of particular importance in connection with dough which is to be processed industrially.
The improved properties are evaluated by comparison with dough and/or baked products prepared without addition of laccase in accordance with the present invention.
In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a method of preparing a dough and/or a baked product prepared from the dough comprising adding a laccase enzyme, optionally present in a bread-improving or dough-improving composition, to the dough and/or to any ingredient of the dough and/or to any mixture of the dough ingredients.
In further aspects, the present invention relates to a dough and a baked product, respectively, produced by the present method as well as to a pre-mix comprising a laccase enzyme. In the present context, the term “pre-mix” is intended to be understood in it's conventional meaning, i.e. as a mix of baking agents, normally including flour, which may be used not only in industrial bread-baking plants/facilities, but also in retail bakeries.
In a final aspect, the present invention relates to the use of a laccase enzyme for the preparation of dough and/or baked products.
DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
While the laccase enzyme of the dough- and/or bread-improving composition of the invention may be of any origin, including plant origin, it is presently preferred that the laccase enzyme is of microbial origin. Thus, a microbial enzyme is normally easier to produce on a large scale than a non-microbial enzyme of, e.g., plant origin. Furthermore, the microbial enzyme may normally be obtained in a higher purity than enzymes of other origins, resulting in a lower amount of undesirable enzymatic side-activities.
The microbial laccase enzyme may be derived from bacteria or fungi (including filamentous fungi and yeasts) and suitable examples include a laccase derivable from a strain of Aspergillus, Neurospora, e.g.
N. crassa
Podospora, Botrytis, Collybia, Fomes, Lentinus, Lentinus, Pleurotus, Trametes, Rhizoctonia, e.g.
R. solani,
Coprinus, e.g.
C. plicatilis
, Psatyrella, Myceliophtera, e.g.
M. thermophila
, Schytalidium, Polyporus, e.g.
P. pinsitus
, Phlebia, e.g.
P. radita
(WO 92/01046), or Coriolus, e.g.
C. hirsutus
(JP 2-238885).
The laccase may be obtained from the microorganism in question by use of any suitable technique. For instance, a laccase preparation may be obtained by fermentation of a microorganism and subsequent isolation of a laccase containing preparation from the resulting fermented broth or microorganism by methods known in the art, but more preferably by use of recombinant DNA techniques as known in the art. Such method normally comprises cultivation of a host cell transformed with a recombinant DNA vector capable of expressing and carrying a DNA sequence encoding the laccase in question, in a culture medium under conditions permitting the expression of the enzyme and recovering the enzyme from the culture.
The DNA sequence may be of genomic, CDNA or synthetic origin or any mixture of these, and may be isolated or synthesized in accordance with methods known in the art.
The laccase enzyme to be included in the bread-improving and/or dough-improving composition of the invention may be in any form suited for the use in question, e.g. in the form of a dry powder or granulate, in particular a non-dusting granulate, a liquid, in particular a stabilized liquid, or a protected enzyme. Granulates may be produced, e.g. as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,991 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,452 (both to Novo Industri A/S), and may optionally be coated by methods known in the art. Liquid enzyme preparations may, for instance, be stabilized by adding nutritionally acceptable stabilizers such as a sugar, a sugar alcohol or another polyol, lactic acid or another organic acid according to established methods. Protected enzymes may be prepared according to the method disclosed in EP 238,216.
Normally, for inclusion in pre-mixes or flour it is advantageous that the laccase enzyme preparation is in the form of a dry product, e.g. a non-dusting granulate, whereas for inclusion together with a liquid it is advantageously in a liquid form.
The bread- and/or dough-improving compostion of the invention may further comprise another enzyme. Examples of other enzymes are a cellulase, a hemicellulase, a pentosanase (useful for the partial hydrolysis of pentosans which increases the extensibility of the dough), a glucose oxidase (useful for strengthening the dough), a lipase (useful for the modification of lipids present in the dough or dough constituents so as to soften the dough), a peroxidase (useful for improving the dough consistency), a protease (useful for gluten weakening, in particular when using hard wheat flour), a peptidase and/or an amylase, e.g. &agr;-amylase (useful for providing sugars fermentable by yeast).
The other enzyme components are preferably of microbial origin and may be obtained by conventional techniques used in the art as mentioned above. In a particular embodiment, the other enzyme component(s) may be produced from the same source as the laccase in question and recovered together with the laccase.
In addition or in an alternative to other enzyme components, the dough-improving and/or bread-improving composition may comprise a conventionally used baking agent, e.g. one or more of the following constituents:
A milk powder (pr
Garbell Jason I.
Lambiris Elias J.
Novozymes A/S
Wong Leslie
LandOfFree
Use of laccase in baking does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Use of laccase in baking, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Use of laccase in baking will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2592501