More and more studies suggest that a too high salt consumption implicates health risks. So it is scientifically proven that diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular and apoplexy diseases can be promoted by a too high salt admission.

Therefore salt-reduced doughs are discussed among other things in the European Commission in connection with so-called feeding value profiles by food in the legislation. Salt limit values in bread and roll are to be specified. Concerning bread, it is only being marked ‚healthy’ according to commission proposal, if per 100 gram maximally is used one gram salt.

The project ‘OxiKneter’ takes up this problem and occupies with salt-reduced doughs. The salt-concentration has a direct influence on the quality of dough. So in this project has to be developed a procedure to reduce the salt-concentration from at present approx. 2 % on approx. 1 % without a loss of important dough-rheological characteristics. These important characteristics are to be maintained by the addition of L-ascorbic acid and oxygen.

The admitted L-ascorbic acid changes the reactivity of the supplied oxygen so that the wheat adhesive in wheat meal is stabilized. The consequences are the same positive rheological dough-characteristics as with addition of salt. Further it can be observed an increased elasticity and plasticity of the dough with the addition of L-ascorbic acid and oxygen, when simultaneous reduction the salt concentration, compared to those without oxygen-enriched water. An improved pastry-habitus is attained by an O2 concentration of approx. 200 ppm in the enriched water (see standardized tap water approx. 7 ppm CO2).

Desired is a kneading-procedure, which makes the dough machine usual and which permits further problem-free processing. This procedure should be suitable finally over the optimal processing of wheat meal, also for products of rye meal, so that an optimal adjustment of the different process parameters is of great importance. With this development should achieve a kneading-procedure with which an economical production and a quality improvement considering health is guaranteed.