If cereal milling products of wheat are treated with hydrostatic high pressure, the water retention and therefore the techno-functional characteristics can be altered due to physical structural changes. This effect is based on the development of additional compounds between the functional groups of the macromolecules and the dipole of the water molecule. In contrast, the usage of pregelatinized flour respectively pregelatinized starch leads only to an improvement of water immobilization. Yet, the state of compound of the water is not influenced.

The aim of the project is to increase and optimize the water retention characteristics of cereal milling products through hydrostatic high pressure treatment and the categorization of the bakery products which have been fabricated with this material (e.g. bread, biscuits). Thereby, the change of the rheological attributes of the treated system is avoided if possible in order to generally enable the processing as dough or as compound. It is expected that the application of this material for bakery products enables an extended freshness guarantee, decreased baking waste and less frozen-related damages at pastry products. Another advantage is the reduction of needed energy due to declining baking waste.

The usage of physical modified cereal milling products with an increased water immobilization shall be implemented as an alternative to conventional baking material. These innovative cereal milling products shall primarily enable the abandonment or reduction of additives (“Clean Labeling??). Within the segment of extended nonperishable baking products the commerce expects a minimum durability of several weeks and months of the producers. The reduction of water activity due to water retention is here of significant importance. With the aid of this method the sugar proportion can also be decreased and thus, the consumer demand for healthy groceries can be correspond to.

This project will be realized in cooperation with the German Institute for Food Technologies and is supported by Research Association of the German Food Industry (FEI).