The use of normal and heat-treated barley flour and waxy barley starch as anti-staling agents in laboratory and industrial baking processes

Normal and heat-treated barley, both as flour and waxy starch, were added at a concentration of 3% to a white wheat bread. The effect not only of selected additives, but also of laboratory- and industrial baking processes on stalling was evaluated. Laboratory baked breads with heat-treated barley flour differed from control breads with regard to water content, firmness and amylopectin retrogradation. The influence of water content on firmness increased with storage time. All laboratory baked breads with barley additives, except normal barley flour, were less firm after 7 days of storage as compared to the control although amylopectin retrogradation tended to increase. Improved water absorption, and consequently, increased water content and/or different water binding capacities of the flour/starch could explain these results. Industrial baking caused higher water losses, especially in breads containing additives, thus reducing the effects on amylopectin retrogradation and firmness.