Raising Agent

Raising or leaving agents are substances that produce gas in flour mixtures which cause them to rise and become lighter, bigger and softer in texture and porous after cooking. The use of a raising agent is based on the principle that hot air rises and expands.

TYPES OF RAISING AGENTS

• Baking powder: consists of an acid (cream of tartar or tartaric acid) and an alkali (bicarbonate of soda) with the addition of some starchy ingredient such as rice flour which proportion of ingredient is twice the amount of acid to alkali i.e.

4gm cream of tartar

3gm bicarbonate of soda

2gm rice flavour.

• Yeast: the scientific name for yeast is saccharomyces cerevisial. Yeast is made up of a large number of minute’s cells. When kept cool and dry, the cells are inactive, when added to water with a little sugar and gently warmed, the yeast grows rapidly, giving off carbon dioxide which works through the dough making it light. Extreme heat kills yeast and it can have no further activity. Cold retards or hinders its action but does not kill it.

• Palm wine: this is a good raising agent for it contains yeast. It is used for commercial bread making and is more economical than yeast. Warmth, sugar and moisture are necessary conditions for its raising action like yeast. Excessive heat, cold and too much sugar retard or stop its growth. Sometimes, for large scale bread making, overripe banana are used to produce a raising agent with the same characteristics as yeast or palm wine. The overripe banana are left to ferment before they are put into use for the purpose. Flour products you can use palm wine as raising agent are bread of different types.

• Steam: is an effective raising agent. Steam is the principle raising agent in pop overs and cream puffs. Steam contributes to the expansion of baked products in which other raising agents are used.

• Air: when air is incorporated into flour mixture and put into the oven to bake, the trapped air expands in volume and therefore leavens the product. Air beaten into egg white is the principal raising agent of omelette, sponge cakes and angle cakes.

Evaluation:

1. What are raising agents?
2. State the composition of baking powder and the ratio of each component

Assignment:

Describe how palm wine is used in the commercial bread production