Bread and bakery products are highly valued foods for their taste, fragrance and softness. However, these qualities tend to deteriorate over time, due to phenomena such as chilling, loss of moisture and flavour, and the development of mould.
To preserve bread and bakery products for longer, while maintaining their appearance and flavour, several techniques can be used, including vacuum cooling.
Vacuum cooling involves subjecting the freshly baked product to low pressure, to reduce the evaporation temperature of the water and promote rapid cooling. This process has several advantages:
- It preserves the crust and crumb of the product, avoiding the redistribution of moisture that causes cooling and loss of crispness.
- Reduces the risk of microbial contamination, as the vacuum eliminates oxygen and slows the growth of bacteria and moulds.
- Preserves the product’s aromas and flavours, as the vacuum prevents the volatilisation of aromatic substances.
- Improves product shelf life, as the vacuum extends the shelf life at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Vacuum cooling can be applied to different types of bakery products, such as bread, brioches, croissants, cakes, biscuits, etc., and can also be combined with other techniques, such as deep-freezing or vacuum packing, to achieve even more effective and longer-lasting preservation.
Here on the blog you can find other interesting articles on the use of vacuum in the food industry.
To contact Vuototecnica’s technical department: www.vuototecnica.net.
