Studies on the shelf life of bread using acidulants and their salts.

White bread loaves prepared from wheat flour and the addition of different levels of acidulants, i.e. acetic and lactic acid with calcium propionate, were evaluated for their microbial shelf life as well as sensory quality characteristics during 96 h of storage. Among the sensory characteristics for the different treatments, volume of bread, color of crust, symmetry of form, crust characteristics, grain, and crumb color differed significantly, and the scores were 6.5-7.4, 5.8- 6.8, 2.9-3.4, 2.7-3.1, 10.6-11.8, and 6.8-7.4, respectively, whereas evenness of bake, aroma, taste, and texture were not significantly different. Storage for 96 h affected the aroma, taste, texture, and crust characteristics to a great extent. The treatments containing 0.2% and 0.3% lactic acid in combination with 0.2% calcium propionate were the most effective against microbial spoilage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]