Classification and standardization of bakery products and flour confectionery in relation to quality and technological progress

Classification and standardization of bakery products and flour confectionery in relation to quality and technological progress Giancarlo Barbiroli and Palmira Mazzaracchio In the past few years, there has been a remarkable boom in the production of bakery products and flour confectionery, so much so that the range of products to be found on the market has not only increased but also includes previously nonexistent categories. This recent progress has also, however, been the cause of a certain commercial and qualitative confusion as to the definition and classification of these products. A new method of classification is proposed in accordance with the present boom. It takes into consideration the parameters requisite for determining the various technical, qualitative and commercial aspects involved: i.e. scale of production, basic typology, dimension, formulation, as well as flour, pastry, consistency and ingredients. A new standard is also proposed based on quality factors such as weight constancy, wholeness, deformations, cracks and abrasions, and anomalous colorations. The proposal has a prevailing methodological purpose. Keywords:

bakery

products;

quality;

classification;

standardization

INTRODUCTION In the last few years, the bakery products and flour confectionery sector has witnessed particularly intense technological progress which has brought about clear and tangible changes, not only in terms of the commercial and qualitative characteristics of the products, but also in terms of process innovation. As far as the first point is concerned, it is evident that a high level of diversification has been achieved. There are numerous products currently on the market which did not exist

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of

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seven or eight years ago, for example, prepackaged and ready-to-eat cakes and snacks. These products are characterized by their being compact, multilayered and multi-ingredient. Other examples are biscuits and pastries, filled with cream or some other ingredient, which, enriching the product, gives them a highly innovative character. The change in the characteristics and types of confectionery product has resulted in a change in quality. In this particularly dynamic situation, the only aspect that has remained unchanged and, consequently, inadequate, is the legislation controlling the sector. The situation is such that it is increasingly difficult to establish to which categories the various products belong. It is also equally difficult to identify Food Control 1994 Volume 5 Number 1

33

Classification

and standardization

of bakery products: G. Barbiroli and P. Mazzaracchio

precise commercial and qualitative standards with which to make an evaluation of global merit. In order to make a thorough critical analysis, it is necessary to carry out a global qualitative evaluation of the three most important types of sweet bakery and flour confectionery products on the domestic market: ready-made cakes, snacks and biscuit pastries. These three categories, which until a few years ago seemed to be completely stable from the point of view of quality and quantity, have undergone a radical change, drawing them to the attention of the public; the number of new products is continuously increasing, as is the number of new producers. In order to arrive at a complete profile of each product, it is necesary to establish which properties are to be considered. In addition to traditional properties such as nutritional value and hygiene, there are a number of new properties of increasing importance: e.g. the stability of softness and elasticity over a period of time; softness; elasticity; the ratio between pastry and filling; water stability in the various ingredients (non-migration); apparent density; colour uniformity. Before these, and any other properties, can be useful for the creation of a global evaluation index for a product, we must be able to express them in quantifiable terms. This can be achieved by applying methods which utilize simple, tried and tested instruments (AOCS, 1987). sufficiently

Softness and elasticity

Softness can be evaluated by subjecting the sample to a prefixed pressure of 0.2 kg/cm* for 30 s and measuring the change in thickness in millimetres. Elasticity can be evaluated from the percentage recovery of the product’s original thickness (mm) after subjecting the sample to a prefixed pressure of 0.2 kg/cm* for 30s. Softness and elasticity can be measured using a texturameter (Instrom Ltd, Bucks, UK, model 1140) or other instruments such as a lightweight dynamic penetrometer (model GG 1301, Bicasa, Milan, Italy).

Water stability

Water stability can be evaluated by measuring the water content of each component when the product is newly made, and again after a number of days of conservation in extreme conditions.

Ratio between pastry and filling

The ratio between pastry and filling can be evaluated by measuring the percentage of filling in the products.

Apparent

density

Apparent density can be measured with a pycnometer, using acetone and either the whole product or part.

Colour uniformity

Colour uniformity 34

can be measured

using a spectro-

Food Control 1994 Volume 5 Number 1

photocolorimeter (mode1 TCS, Gardner Inc., Silver Spring, USA). The operating conditions of instrument geometry, illuminating/viewing are: measuring geometry (d/o); wavelength range, 380-720 nm; measuring area diameter, 2.5mm; measurement interval, 10nm. After determination of the calorimetric coordinates, the colour uniformity can be calculated using the Comission Internationale de I’Eclairage (CIE) formula, to give the average colour difference among units of the same lot, expressed in ACIE (Barbiroli et al., 1991). Composition

(nutritional

factors)

The methods used to determine the composition (sugars, fats, ash, moisture, proteins) are the official ones for starch-based products (AOAC, 1990). After thorough experimentation with English, French, German, Italian and Swiss commercial products, it became possible to delineate the present situation in each of the diverse categories, along with the variability of each property (Tables l-4). This makes it possible to identify regular groups, typical of some subcategories, which consequently characterize the various quality standards. A complete classification must take into consideration all the possible aspects and parameters which allow the identification of the global characteristics of starchbased bakery and confectionery products with commercial and qualitative certainty. Such aspects and parameters are as follows: Commercial typology: biscuit product or pastry product. Biscuit products and pastries must be classified separately, according to their commercial typologies; the basic difference is in the water content; Scale of production: industrial-scale production or small-scale production; Size: small, medium or large; Types of flour: single-cereal flour or multi-cereal flour; Type of pastry: single or multiple; Formulation: simple or composite. It is necessary to distinguish those products made with just a pastry base (simple) from those that contain other ingredients such as cream, jam, almond paste or walnuts (composite). Processing technique: leavened or unleavened; Softness and elasticity: soft, semi-soft or friable; Composition: plain or enriched. This depends on whether the product contains nutritional integrators: nutritional value already present in the pastry base such as salts, vitamins, cellulose; or ingredients not present in the base, such as eggs, milk, cocoa, etc; Additives: the product may contain additives which have no nutritional value (preservative, dyes, thickeners, surface-active agents, processing aids, etc.).

The above distinctions make it possible to describe the various products according to the diverse parameters in such a way as to avoid problems of identification. Thus a product may be classified as, for example, biscuit, small-scale production, small-sized, single

Classification

and standardization

An outline of the classification described above is given below in which the distinguishing properties utilizable for the classification are also reported. In addition to the classification parameters and method, in order to standardize the bakery products, it

cereal flour, single pastry, simple, unleavened, friable, plain without additives; and another as: pastry, largescale production, large-sized, single cereal flour, multiple pastries, composite, leavened, soft, enriched, without additives, etc.

Table I

Composition and charactensticr of European industrial

of bakery products: G. Barbiroli and P. Mazzaracchio

bakery product\

Monturc

MIneral\

Fats

Soluble \ug*r\

Actual derwty

Apparent density

Elastnty (recovery)

Wctght con\tancy

Whole umt*

(5”)

( oh1

(“‘0)

(“I”)

(g/ml))

(g/ml)

( “%1

(y:)

(7”)

Sh

1.73

III.24

17 67

I. IXhh

t1.4277

0

711

‘I8 1s

Butter lelhni7 (Germany)

2 37

1.33

IO ?I

12.x

I 3050

11.X713

,I

47

Y? T

Buttrr guetzh (Switzerland)

2 6.5

I

lhX7

27.33

I 3222

1.10l1.l

0

‘),I

Fwcchl avend (France)

?.llh

I.Ih

IS.4

IJ.SY

I.325X

1).5171X

0

IOMI

Shortbread finger,

3.35

I.42

28.37

IJ.SX

I 2762

l.llNS

(I

IIXI

3 30

O.h7

32.25

24.x

I.1175

I .OhX7

0

X7.S

xx Y

2.41

I .os

2x. IX

21.92 I 203-l

O.XXhY

,I

7S

41 .h7

I.74

(1.77

Sl.44

Sh 72

1.04

I.16

2h.Sl)

IY 32 I .277h

I ox.32

II

IIXI

IO0

0

(1 YY

I,.IXlh

36.2h

Sh.7S

P3\tTy 63.23%

3.7x

I .2.?

13.h:

2?.YX I.2616

(I X7hS

0

IO0

22

X

Cream 3h.774,

I.20

0 h5

45 51

J7.h’)

Patry 7 I 117%

4.111

0.73

14.44

2X.70 I.3433

I .lI‘liY

0

X0

17 33

(‘ream 1X.9.3”/.,

I 33

II h3

31 IX)

53 79

Patry 7?.Yi’%

1 IO

I.Oh

IjXh

?f! 17 I.3753

I 0x2’)

0

711

ho

I.211

0 76

2Y.52

S4 (II?

241

I 33

II SS

17.7(1

I 31.74o.xx3x

0

lo(l

11.72

(1.7h

3S.W)

13.l)h

II

I .h?

2.x42

31.52

I 3Oh?

(I Y&4

Ml

IIHI

lh.YS

I 422

xl15

37.SY

I.2s27

(I.YJflY

II

IJ.YX

O.XY

IX.%

30. I?

I x17

I .07xX

h0

I3.Y3

0 xi

27.27

13.Xh

l.27lll

lI.XSSX

S?

lX.Sh

1.7

17.55

33.05

I.3lX.l

I.lOJh

32

I(HI

Ml

Ih XY

I I?

23.h7

23 II3

I .Ih.tX

OYl21

h?

ICHI

1,x,

TYPO C”““Q of onpln

Mornmg coffer

(‘rack5 and “brawn\ (No./kg)

Anomalo”~ C,llO~~tlO”

Deformation

(‘olour “nlformlty

(No./kp)

(No./kg)

(ACE)

(UK)

II

I,“, 52 IO,,

(UK)

Composite biscuits N”\, dr\,crt (Germanv)

Pa,trv h7.Y7-%

Parry 7S.508

llit

lemon (Gsrmany

)

Chocolate acam\ (UK)

llit chocolate (Germany)

Mm, cake i!“x fr”lt\

54.SS

x

I11

IX

h

I5

IutI

0

0

0

II.h

SO

loll

0

0

,I

IS IIS

,I

IfHI

0

0

I

X.23

I(10

0

0

0

65

25

35

(I.XY

(I:ranrc,

Plum cake (Germanv)

1

X.S

Food Control 1994 Volume 5 Number 1

35

Classification and standardization of bakery products: G. Barbiroli and P. Mazzaracchio is necessary to define quality factors, as for all foodstuffs. While studying parameters for an appropriate classification, factors strictly related to quality can also be taken into consideration: the main quality factors are the weight (or materials ratio) constancy of the wholeness of the units, the number of defects (deformation, cracks, abrasion, anomalous coloration) and the uniformity of colour. On this basis, and considering the data obtained while analysing several different commercial products, the following standard was formulated. The standard proposed differentiates between small-scale and largescale products. This proposal may be modified in different countries as a consequence of specific requirements related to consumer need or to the industrial structure and the characteristics and political economy in the food sector. The classification and standardization proposed below has prevailing methodological purposes. The structure of the standard is the same as the standards already published for other products, e.g. vegetable preserves and meat preserves (Barbiroli et al., 1984, 1986).

STANDARD

FOR BAKERY

0 ??

0 0

formulation; processing techniques; elasticity; composition.

Typology. The products are classified into ‘biscuit product’ and ‘pastry product’, according to the water content: (a) biscuit product <4.0% water; (b) pastry product 54.1% water. Scale ofproduction. There are three scales, according to the daily global production capacity of the operation: (a) small-scale (craft), ~1000 kg/day; (b) medium-scale (semi-industrial), ~1000-5000 kg/day; (c) large-scale (industrial), ~5000 kg/day. Size. There are three size categories, according to the weight of each unit: (a) small, 62Og; (b) medium, 201OOg; (b) large, >lOOg. Basic starch. The main dough(s) may be obtained with starch from various flours, separately (singleflour) or simultaneously (multi-flour). Type of pastry. One (single) or several (multi) pastries may be employed. Formulation. The formulation is ‘single’ without or with the presence of materials different from the basic doughs and ‘composite’ when such materials are present. Processing techniques. The absence or presence of yeasts and the use of various related processing techniques determines the distinction between ‘unleavened’ or ‘leavened’ products. Elasticity. The products may be ‘friable’, ‘semi-soft’ or ‘soft’, according to their elasticity: (a) friable, no recovery; (b) semi-soft, recovery from l-50%; (c) soft, recovery from 51-100%. Composition. The products have ‘plain’ (basic) or ‘enriched’ composition, according to the nutritive factors present.

PRODUCTS

Description Product definition

Bakery products and flour confectionery are products obtained by cooking dough prepared with flours (cereals, legumes, solanaceae, etc.), where starch is the basic and major component. Cooking may be by traditional methods (oven, methods (microwave, frying) or non-traditional infrared, etc.). Classification parameters

Composition and quality factors

Starch-based bakery products may be classified according to parameters that permit their specific and qualitative definition. These identification parameters are:

Essential ingredients

. ??

0 ??

0

0 ??

typology; scale of production; size; basic starch; type of pastry;

Table 2

Composition

Type

BelBon Bucaneve Zalet Macine Tarallucci Krumiri Ritornelli Spicchi di Sole I Cioccolini Fiordifrolle Cao Cao

36

0

and characteristics

?? ??

0 ??

of Italian

industrial

simple

biscuits

flours (cererals, legumes, solanaceae, etc.); water; sugars (saccharose, glucose, fructose, lactose, maltose, etc.); syrup solids; whole, skimmed, dry, powdered milk; yeasts; butter, margarine, shortenings, cocoa butter;

(morning

tea biscuits)

Moisture

Minerals

Fats

Soluble

W)

W)

(%)

W)

(g/ml)

(g/ml)

1.85 2.69 2.09 1.55 I.98 0.86 1.70 2.73 3.1 I I .92 3.20 2.92

0.9623 0.7968 0.8362 1.0547 I .0366 0.8755 0.4645 0.8376 0.9328 1.1212 0.4414 I .2596

10.73 II.46 14.24 13.78 20.75 17.31 25.77 21.72 18.06 22.64 23.31 17.06

26.67 26.20 28.88 23.33 21.17 26.02 23.90 26.09 18.92 21.93 23.88 23.04

I .2805 1.2853 I .3250 I .2782 1.2733 1.2760 1.2514

1.9Y78 0.9852 I .0831 0.9520 1.0432 I.0171 1.0380 0.9513 0.9942 I .0221 0.9454 I.0115

Food Control 1994 Volume 5 Number 1

sugars

Actual

density

1.2497 I .2X50 I .2478 I .2588 1.2673

Apparent

density

Classification

Table 3

Composition

and characteristics

Type

of Italian

and standardization

industrial

Values Min.;

Chocolate,

Cacao-cream

Max.

Pastry 59%; 63.75% Cream 36.25%’ , 41’Y0

Milk-cream

Pastry 61.5%; Cream 38.5%;

Grisbi

58.5% 41.5%

Pastry 52%; 54% Cream 46%; 48%

Pastry 70.7%; 83.8% Cream 16.2%; 29.3%

Le Gioie

Pastry 78.5%; Cream 21.5%:

Baiocchi

Table 4

Composition

and characteristics

of Italian

Moisture

TYPO

Total sample

biscuits

Moisture

Minerals

Fats

Soluble sugars

Actual density

Apparent density

Elasticity

(%)

(%)

(%)

(“A)

(g/ml)

(g/ml)

(% recovery)

6.51

O.YO31

27.81

17,‘)s I .2510

I .Oh5

IO

2.55

I .3826

27.26

SO.99

6.81

0.548’)

27.93

1X.13 I .22Y2

I .006h

IO

2.67

I .OY43

30.93

52.58

5.30

0.6YY8

32.04

18.49 I.1830

I .0325

IO

3.03

0.7984

31.22

42.67

3.50

0.8138

23.35

16.79 I .2831

I.1114

0

O.YO

1.2734

30.89

40.57

1.67

I.1798

17.80

19.62 1.267

0.9637

0

0.00

I .5787

44.88

39.69

2.23

I.1153

14.16

26.71 I .2745

I .OOl6

0.42

0.0381

33.80

58.22

76.4% 23.6%

Pastry 65% Cream 35%

Prince-Lu

composite

handicraft

and industrial

(%)

cakes

Fats

Cream

of bakery products: G. Barbiroli and P. Mazzaracchio

Pastry

Actual density

Soluble sugars (o/o)

(%)

(g/ml)

Apparent density (g/ml)

Elasticity (% recovery)

Plain flour cake

27.70

15.63

20.24

Plain flour cake

10.87

23.86

28.70

50

Jam pie

21.14

10.40

12.70

40

p.f.

38.14

100

Plain flour cake

17.78

14.57

17.72

70

Plain flour cake

21.64

9.32

11.89

100

Plain flour cake

23.OtJ

lO.YY

14.27

100

Plain flour cake

22.00

16.64

21.33

100

Sponge cake

18.42

13.83

16.95

90

Plain flour cake

24.10

8.42

II.09

70

Fruit cake

19.16

21.10

26.10

80

Hazel cake

26.15

14.28

18.81

100

Plain flour cake

18.60

Jam pie

l2.YX

16.71

p.f.

7.33

15.47

16.25

p.f.

14.3’)

Almond

cake

26.71

32.81

I.1484

0.6906

100

22.42

24.19

I .275Y

I.1475

50

I.1349

O.Y280

80

1.1443

O.YO68

100

p.f.

18.73

p.f.

* 31.38 15.47 Lemon

cake

Chocolate

28.36

* 37.50

c.t.

27.66

p.m.

19.77

**

27.95

c.t.

32.93

p.f.

18.06

C.I.

16.11

C.I.

22.49

c.t.

27.40

c.t.

34.03

** 34.66

21.24

18.00

p.m.

21.97

17.86

22.hX

100

Egg flip filling cake

34.78

24.88

p.m.

34.38

11.82

18.12

100

Baba

29.51

26.96

p.m. 33.78

12.98

18.42

IO0

Trifle

28.23

20.26

p.m.

14.80

20.75

lot)

p.m..

cake

21.66

21.88

sponge pastry; p.f..

short pastry: c.t..

total sample; c.l.,

31.14

lemon cream;

Optional ingredients fruit preserves, fresh fruit; whole, husked, powdered eggs; whole and skimmed cocoa; almonds, nuts, walnuts, pistachios, vegetable essence, flavours, spices; fibre, minerals, vitamins; ethyl alcohol, spirits; vegetable and milk proteins.

other

dry fruit;

*, almond

pastry; **. short and sponge pastry

Quality factors Constancy of weight and materials. For simple products the constancy of the weight must be considered whereas for composite products the constancy of the ratio of the percentage of the two major materials must be considered. For medium to largescale products, the following applies: having measured the average weight of the units, with a range (tolerance) of ?2%, products with 90% of the units within this measured value should be considered of Food Control 1994 Volume 5 Number 1

37

Classification

and standardization

of bakery products: G. Barbiroli and P. Mazzaracchio

‘high constancy’, products with 80-90% of the units within the same measured value should be considered of ‘medium constancy’; products with 70-80% of the units within the same measured value should be considered of ‘low constancy’ and products with less than 70% of the units in the measured value are not included in these standards. For small-scale products, having measured the average weight of the units, with a range (tolerance) of &lo%, products with 90% of the units within this measured value should be considered as having a ‘high constancy’: products with 80-90% of the units within the same measured value should be considered of ‘medium constancy’; products with 7080% of the units within the same measured value should be considered of ‘low constancy’; products with less than 70% of the units in the measured value are not included in these standards. Wholeness. Whole units are those units without breaks or small crumbs. Products with >96% of whole product in 1 kg have a ‘high degree of wholeness’; products with 92-96% of whole product in 1 kg have a ‘medium degree of wholeness’; products with 88-92% of whole product in 1 kg have a ‘low degree of wholeness’; products with less than 88% of whole product in 1 kg are not included in these standards. Defects. This factor concerns imperfections in the product, such as deformations, cracks, abrasions and anomalous colorations. Deformations are all alterations of the original form of the product; cracks are fissures on the surface of the product; abrasions are missing parts of the surface of the product; anomalous colorations are stains or irregular coloration on the external surface of the product. Defects can be classified into: ??

??

??

minor defects: a unit affected by imperfections, independent of the type of defect, covering an area or circle of diameter >3 mm but <7 mm; major defect: a unit affected by imperfections, independent of the type of defect, covering an area or a circle of diameter >7mm but <12mm; serious defect: a unit affected by imperfections, independent of the type of defect, covering an area or a circle of diameter 312 mm.

Products with up to nine defects (one serious, two major, six minor) in 1 kg are considered to have ‘low defectiveness’, products with lo-18 defects (two serious, four major, 12 minor) in 1 kg are considered to have ‘medium defectiveness’; products with 19-27 defects (three serious, six major, 18 minor) in 1 kg are considered to have ‘high defectiveness’; products with >27 defects in 1 kg are not included in these standards. Co/our uniformity. Products with average colour differences in the measured value O-4 among units of the same lot are considered to have ‘high colour uniformity’; products with average colour differences in the measured value 4-8 among units of the same lot are considered to have ‘medium colour uniformity’; products with average colour differences in the measured value 8-12 among units of the same lot are considered to have ‘low colour uniformity’; products with average colour differences >12 among units of the same lot are not included in these standards.

38

Food Control 1994 Volume 5 Number

1

Table 5

Classification

Quality factor

Grade

of quality A

Grade

B

Grade

C

Value

Score

Value

Score

Value

Score

>90

3

80-00

2

70-80

I

>96

3

92-96

2

88-92

1

Defects (No. in I kg)

<9

3

lo-18

2

19-27

1

Colour uniformity (CIE units)

<4

3

4-8

2

8-12

I

Weight constancy (%) Wholeness

(%I

Hygienic

requisites

Heavy metals

Maximum contents of the heavy metals are as follows: tin, 200 mg/kg; mercury, 0.02 mg/kg; zinc, 2 mg/kg; lead, 1.5 mg/kg; copper, 2 mg/kg; arsenic, 0.03 mg/kg; cadmium, 0.02 mg/kg. Foreign substances

Foreign substances must be microorganisms and moulds. Weights

absent,

particularly

and measures

The confections must contain the declared amounts of the product, with tolerances up to 2%.

Quality standards

There are three quality standards (Table 5). Grade A: products with global quality characteristics with a total score of 10-12; grade B: products with global quality characteristics with a total score of 7-9; grade C: products with global quality characteristics with a total score of 4-6.

REFERENCES AOAC (Association ton, USA

of Offkial

Analytical

Chemists)

AOCS (American Oil Chemists Society) (1987) Me&ds Washington, DC

(1990)

Arling-

of Analysis.

Barbiroli, G., Mazzaraccbio, P. et al. (I 984) G/i standard dei prodotti vegetali conservati come fattore di promozione della qualitri e della commercializzazione. 7” Monografia del Dipartimento Agricoltura e Alimentazione della Regione Emilia-Romagna. 1 IO pp

Barbiroli, G., Mazzaracchio,

P. et a/. (1986) La valorizzazione di carni in scatola, mortadelle, spalle e prosciutti cotti mediante standard di qualitd. 12” Monografia del Dipartimento Agricoltura e Alimentazione della Regione Emilia-Romagna, 95 pp

Barbiroli,

G..

Raggi,

A.

and

Mazzaracchio,

uniformity as a food quality factor. the AIC: Colour and Light, Sidney, Received 14 May 1992 Revised 29 July 1993 Accepted I5 October 1993

P. (1991) Colour International Symposium of Australia, 25-28 June 1991