Food is any substance eaten and has nutritional value for the body and it usually consists of plant or animal origin containing essential nutrients. Bread is a staple food prepared by cooking dough of flour, water and other desired ingredients. Bread has various methods of cooking which include steaming, frying and baking (Hensperger 80). It is until when the bread is fully cooked that it is safe to consume it. Bread also varies in many different ways depending on the country of origins baking methods, recipe, the size and how it is served on the table as a part of a certain meal. The history of bread dates back to the Neolithic era but rumor surrounding its creation is that it may have been invented accidentally or through intentional experimentation with wheat and flour. That first bread was made from grain paste made from ground grain and water is still a puzzle to this day. Later there was development to leavened bread where uncooked dough could be left to rest while being exposed to air before being cooked. After this struggle, a bread making method was introduced in 1961 and it was called Chorleywood bread process. Bread was also very important in religion, politics and in both social and economic ways. Up to date, it retains some of those significances for example in religion.
Ingredients and mixing
Even though bread comes in different categories the ingredients may differ a little but the methods of making it are rather the same (Hensperger 90). The basic or most important composition of bread is flour. While baking usually professional bakers use certain percentages of certain compositions. An example in point is bread from the United States where common table bread consists of a hundred percent flour that is more of a constant and approximately fifty percent water.
In addition, calcium proportionate of the four hundred and fifty grammes of flour is added to slow the growth of moulds. Wheat flour is the most common in bread and it is what usually makes the dough. The quality of dough usually is derived from the quantity of proteins in the flour (Hensperger 93). The more the protein the less the time taken to mix the dough hence less oxygenation that produces better bread. Water is also a commonly used liquid in the production of bread and the volume to be used depends on the type of recipe. Water is usually put in ratios of one part of liquid to three parts of flour, other types of liquids may be put for example wine, fruit juice or milk.
Leavening processes
Gas is added also to leaven the bread but not all dough undergoes because there are some people who prefer unleavened bread due to their religious beliefs. The use of unleavened bread is usually seen in the Catholic Church for Holy Communion and the Orthodox Church who always use the unleavened bread. Apart from putting some gas in the dough, gas-producing chemicals are also used for example self-rising flour, baking powder and chemicals like buttermilk and baking soda that also produce gas (Hensperger 290). Yeast is also another leavening agent and in countries like the United States professional bakers use commercially produced bakers yeast. Bakers yeast is preferred because it has uniform, quick and reliable results because it is got from a pure culture unlike other methods like using beer spices called the sourdough method. Other methods of leavening are steam leavening where the bread is exposed to steam but it is a rather unpredictable method. Bacterial leavening is also another method but it is not a consistent method although it has its advantages. Aeration is also a leavening method where the dough is put under pressure with carbon dioxide gas.
Fats and shortenings like vegetable oils and eggs can be also added and they give a good texture to the final product. Bread improvers can also be used and these are usually chemicals like protease, phosphates and ascorbic acid. These chemicals help in the leavening of bread just like the other methods discussed.
Baking
When it comes to baking the prepared dough after all the processes have taken place, it is mixed by hand or machine mixer. It is taken and put into desired shapes and sizes then put on a holding container where the baker may sprinkle some as sugar or any other desired ingredient and then transfer it into to the oven for cooking (Hensperger 341).
Packaging and distribution
After it is ready, it is taken out of the oven and it cools then issues like quality, taste and texture are tested then the bread is ready for packaging. The packing is either by hand or machine depending on the size of the bakery or how they choose it to be. After packaging, it is now ready for distribution. It is then distributed to nearby markets like shops, hotels and may be local distributors and then the one meant for export is appropriately taken to departure points. To conclude the process a consumer buys and feeds on the bread (Hensperger 430).
Ingredients and mixing
Even though bread comes in different categories the ingredients may differ a little but the methods of making it are rather the same (Hensperger 90). The basic or most important composition of bread is flour. While baking usually professional bakers use certain percentages of certain compositions. An example in point is bread from the United States where common table bread consists of a hundred percent flour that is more of a constant and approximately fifty percent water.
In addition, calcium proportionate of the four hundred and fifty grammes of flour is added to slow the growth of moulds. Wheat flour is the most common in bread and it is what usually makes the dough. The quality of dough usually is derived from the quantity of proteins in the flour (Hensperger 93). The more the protein the less the time taken to mix the dough hence less oxygenation that produces better bread. Water is also a commonly used liquid in the production of bread and the volume to be used depends on the type of recipe. Water is usually put in ratios of one part of liquid to three parts of flour, other types of liquids may be put for example wine, fruit juice or milk.
Leavening processes
Gas is added also to leaven the bread but not all dough undergoes because there are some people who prefer unleavened bread due to their religious beliefs. The use of unleavened bread is usually seen in the Catholic Church for Holy Communion and the Orthodox Church who always use the unleavened bread. Apart from putting some gas in the dough, gas-producing chemicals are also used for example self-rising flour, baking powder and chemicals like buttermilk and baking soda that also produce gas (Hensperger 290). Yeast is also another leavening agent and in countries like the United States professional bakers use commercially produced bakers yeast. Bakers yeast is preferred because it has uniform, quick and reliable results because it is got from a pure culture unlike other methods like using beer spices called the sourdough method. Other methods of leavening are steam leavening where the bread is exposed to steam but it is a rather unpredictable method. Bacterial leavening is also another method but it is not a consistent method although it has its advantages. Aeration is also a leavening method where the dough is put under pressure with carbon dioxide gas.
Fats and shortenings like vegetable oils and eggs can be also added and they give a good texture to the final product. Bread improvers can also be used and these are usually chemicals like protease, phosphates and ascorbic acid. These chemicals help in the leavening of bread just like the other methods discussed.
Baking
When it comes to baking the prepared dough after all the processes have taken place, it is mixed by hand or machine mixer. It is taken and put into desired shapes and sizes then put on a holding container where the baker may sprinkle some as sugar or any other desired ingredient and then transfer it into to the oven for cooking (Hensperger 341).
Packaging and distribution
After it is ready, it is taken out of the oven and it cools then issues like quality, taste and texture are tested then the bread is ready for packaging. The packing is either by hand or machine depending on the size of the bakery or how they choose it to be. After packaging, it is now ready for distribution. It is then distributed to nearby markets like shops, hotels and may be local distributors and then the one meant for export is appropriately taken to departure points. To conclude the process a consumer buys and feeds on the bread (Hensperger 430).
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