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Abstract: Consumer appreciation of brittle cellular foods, like bread crusts, depends on textural properties such as crispness. This crispy character is lost above a certain water activity. It is not known what exactly is happening in these crusts when water enters. So is it unclear whether it is the change in the starch or the gluten that initiates the loss of crispness with ageing time. In this paper the effect of water on the glass transition of model bread crusts was studied using two complementary techniques: phase transition analysis (PTA) and temperature modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC). The mobility of water was studied with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The results were compared with sensory data. Bread crusts prepared with different types of flour were tested to evaluate the effect of flour composition on the crispness of model crusts equilibrated at different relative humidities. In addition the single flour components starch and gluten were studied. Sensory crispness scores decreased with increasing a w from 0.55 upwards. At a w 0.70 sensory crispness was completely lost. Both DSC and PTA showed a transition point at an a w of 0.70–0.75. NMR gave a transition point in the mobility of the protons of water at a w 0.58. This supports the hypothesis that loss of crispness starts as a result of processes at a molecular level, before the macroscopic glass transition. This also suggests that the presence of water that is not directly attached to the solid matrix causes the loss of crispness at low a w. At higher a w increased mobility of the macromolecules will start to play a role. NMR experiments with the separate flour components indicate that the T 2 transition point in starch samples occurs at a lower RH than for gluten. This could imply that starch loses crispness at lower a w than gluten. Increased mobility of small components and side chains might induce increased energy dissipation upon deformation of the material resulting in less available energy for fracture propagation and with that in a less crispy product. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The influence of the formulation on the crispness of bread crust was studied. Crispness is a relevant sensory attribute that depends on several factors particularly the plasticizer content (water), the mechanical properties of the solid matrix and the morphological architecture of the bread. Enzymes and additives were used to modify the bread formulation. This resulted in a modification of the bread characteristics. Crust and crumb had higher porosity than the control breads and a decreased water content of the bread crust was found. Instrumental crispness was evaluated by simultaneous analysis of the fracture behaviour and sound emission while breaking the crust. Addition of lipase, amylase, glucose oxidase and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) increased the number of force and sound events, indicative of higher crispness. The number of fracture and sound events correlated negatively with the water content and positively with the porosity of the crust. Both properties are affected by the use of enzymes/additives. Whether the observed positive effect of the enzymes and additives on the number of force and sound events is due to a direct effect on the flour components properties or interactions or to an indirect effect via structure-water migration properties is still open to discussion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]