What is Bread Improver
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What Is Bread Improver?
Broadly speaking anything added to a bread recipe that improves the bread could be called a "bread improver". The term is commonly used to describe a range of natural or chemical additives that speed up the process of dough development.
Bread improver is especially important in large scale bread production but is also often found in bread machine pre-mixes and other recipes made in the home kitchen. Bread improver may also be known by other names such as yeast improver, yeast food, dough enhancer, dough conditioner or bread enhancer.
For the home baker looking for a way to make even better bread at home there are plenty of choices. You can even find improvers made from entirely natural ingredients that are good for you as well as your bread.
Why Use Bread Improver?

With the advent of large commercial bakeries producing square condensed loaves a faster method of bread production was required. By eliminating the sponge stage of production the problems of storing large amounts of dough is also removed. Doughs using bread improver without an initial fermentation stage of production are often referred to as "no-time" or "instant" doughs, although a proving stage is still required to allow the bread to rise before baking.
Home bread machines are designed to use a similar process as the large scale bakeries, with the main ingredients all added together and no initial "sponge" stage is required. Most off the shelf bread pre-mixes made for bread machines already contain bread improver. It's even possible for the home bread maker to purchase bread improver pre-packaged off the shelf for use in their own recipes.
Try An All Natural Bread Improver
Dough Enhancer - 2 oz.
Amazon Price: $4.85 (as of 02/15/2012)![]()
Helps to improve the volume and texture of your bread while also making your bread stay fresh longer. This bread improver contains all natural ingredients and can also be used in gluten free recipes. Use at the rate of 1/4 teaspoon per cup of flour.
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Need Some Bread Recipe Ideas?
So What Does Bread Improver Actually Do?
There are 2 main functions performed by most types of bread improver. One is to assist in the gas production (carbon dioxide) during the fermentation process. The other is to help retain the gas by aiding the development and strengthening the gluten which forms the cell structure of the bread. The gluten is essentially made up of proteins, the main 3 being glutenin, gliadin and globulin.Fermentation is assisted by making more food available to yeast. Yeast is a living organism that consumes simple sugars and produces carbon dioxide and alcohol as waste products. In bread production it's the carbon dioxide that gives volume to the bread. The alcohol evaporates during the baking process and is not present in the finished loaf of bread.
Bread improver's contain amylase enzymes that help to break starch down into simple sugars. The yeast itself also produces amylase enzymes as part of it's natural digestive system but it is a slow process. The addition of enzymes make more food (sugar) available to the yeast in a shorter period of time. Other ingredients such as phosphates and ammonium chloride may also be added as nutrients for the yeast.
Other enzymes (protease) and chemicals in the bread improver assist in the development and softening of gluten. They both strengthen the gluten and make it more malleable so that the cells formed within the bread can stretch easily without tearing. This results in better gas retention and increased bread volume. Again the yeast itself produces protease, but by adding more the process is made to go much faster.
A Good Bread Machine Makes Baking Easy!
More Things You Can Do With Your Bread Machine
The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook: A Master Baker's 300 Favorite Recipes for Perfect-Every-Time Bread-From Every Kind of Machine
Amazon Price: $12.50 (as of 02/15/2012)![]()
The newer generation of bread machines turn out excellent bread, and after being bombarded with know-how by this award-winning writer, even the most reluctant will be inspired to give it a go. The book opens with an excellent orientation to both the machine and the basics of bread making. Step-by-step instructions are given for a few basic loaves. The 300-plus recipes are so far-ranging it's hard to believe a bread exists that isn't included here.
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
What is in Bread Improver?
Amylase enzymes - assist to break starch down into simple sugars
Protease enzymes - strengthens gluten
Ascorbic Acid - strengthens gluten
Sodium Metabisulfate - gluten softening
Hydrochloride - gluten softening
Ammonium Chloride - food for yeast
Phosphates - food for yeast
Until the 1990's potassium bromate (often simply called "bromate") was also commonly used to strengthen gluten and calcium propianate was used as a preservative. Since then bromate has been identified as being a possible carcinogen and calcium propionate has been linked to Attention Deficit Disorder. Bromate can still be found in some bread improvers used in the USA.
Yummy Yummy Yummy!
Fresh Bread Ideas From Ebay
Other Uses For Bread Improver
- VAT ruling offers Irish bakers reprieve
- ... of flour included in the dough) ?fats and sugars? up to 12%; and ?dried fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices? up to 10%; and no limit on ?yeast and similar leavening or aerating agent, seeds, salt, malt extract, milk, water, gluten and bread improver?.
Do you love bread this much?
Love This Lens?
This module only appears with actual data when viewed on a live lens. The favorite and lensroll options will appear on a live lens if the viewer is a member of Squidoo and logged in.
Any thoughts?
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blackspanielgallery
Sep 7, 2011 @ 11:08 pm | delete
- Nice lens
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mulberry
Jun 28, 2011 @ 10:39 pm | delete
- Interesting. I love homemade bread and since getting my bread machine a few years ago, we have it frequently.
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SereneSea
Jun 25, 2011 @ 12:18 am | delete
- I have never heard of bread improvement, but love this idea; I am sure the bread must become heavenly after using this tip.
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grandma_deal
Mar 5, 2011 @ 2:25 pm | delete
- I have to admit, I've never heard of "bread improver" until reading this lens. I've made lots of great bread without it. But now I want some. I'll be trying it out. Also, have lensrolled this to my bread recipe lenses. Thanks for sharing.
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ebzy007
Jun 19, 2010 @ 1:57 pm | delete
- i would like to know what quantity is required on the chemicals of the above do you need when making bread improver as you have indicated that i could make bread improver by using Amylase enzymes,Protease enzymes, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Metabisulfate, Hydrochloride, Ammonium Chloride and Phosphates.
Please advice me on how to make bread improver for a production in a bakery
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My online experience begins way back in the early 1990's. I now run several blog sites in my spare time as well as here on here on squidoo and work as... more »
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