Four methods (three enzymatic and one non‐enzymatic) for damaged starch determination have been applied to 51 flours of known moisture and protein contents and known water absorption. The three enzyme methods for damaged starch give results in substantial agreement and in conjunction with the other parameters predict dough water absorption by multiple regression equations more closely than does a colorimetric method.

In flour suspensions a substantial proportion of malt a-amylase is adsorbed from solution by the damaged starch in flour whereas much smaller proportions of fungal amylase are adsorbed under similar conditions. The greater adsorption of malt a-amylase by damaged starch is mainly responsible for the enhanced effect of malt in the maltose test. Only about 60-70% of malt a-amylase appears to be capable of being adsorbed by flour, and this suggests that the enzyme contains at least two components differing in their adsorption characteristics.

A number of improvers which can be used successfully in fast breadmaking processes have a large rheological effect in tests at the normal dough-testing temperature of 30". The exception is potassium bromate which has only a small effect. By raising the dough temperature to 40" or 50", corresponding to the temperatures reached towards the end of proving and during the early stages of baking, the slow bromate improvement is accelerated and a delayed but large rheological effect can be demonstrated. This delayed high-temperature effect can account for the successful use of potassium bromate as an improver, either alone or with other compounds, in rapid breadmaking processes. The dough-softening effects of a bakers' compound fat and of urea were no greater at 50" than at 25".