The role and function of chlorine in the preparation of high‐ratio cake flour

Abstract

The literature on the role of chlorine treatment of flour for use in high-ratio cake production is discussed in relation to current knowledge of cereal chemistry and cake technology. A brief perspective of the present use of chlorine in high-ratio cake flours is included. Investigations of the uptake of gaseous chlorine by flour and its distribution among and chemical action upon the major flour components (water, protein, lipid, and carbohydrate) are assessed. The physical effects of chlorination as demonstrated by experiments with batters and cakes and by physicochemical observations of flour and its fractions are also considered. The characteristics of the starch in flour appear to be critical in high-ratio cakes. Chlorine treatment modifies the gelatinization behavior of the starch granules yet does not change their gelatinization temperature not is there evidence of chemical attack upon the starch molecules. Therefore, it is suggested that chlorine effects the necessary changes in starch behavior by reacting with the noncarbohydrate surface contaminants on the granules. Alternative methods of improving high-ratio cake flours are mentioned, particularly heat-treatment processes.

Measurement of Contour and Volume Changes During Cake Baking

“…The benefit of the height profile method is that actual temporal changes in contour during the baking process can be analyzed using this method. These findings are consistent with studies performed on chlorinated and nonchlorinated cake flours in which the nonchlorinated flours produced unstable, flat cakes (Gough et al 1978;Hoseney et al 1988;Yamamoto et al 1994). 5).…”

Ingredient Functionality During Foam‐Type Cake Making: A Review

“…The structure of freshly baked cake (which now can be considered as a solid foam [Kiosseoglou & Paraskevopoulou, ]) determines whether or not it collapses during cooling (Guy & Pithawala, ). High‐ratio cakes are more prone to collapse than low‐ratio cakes (Gough et al., ). In the former, starch gelatinization occurs at higher temperatures than in the latter.…”

“…() and Gough et al. (), during baking, starch needs to swell to a degree that ensures contact between granules. At that point, structure setting occurs.…”

Ozonation as an alternative to chlorination for soft wheat flours

“…Chlorination of soft wheat flour has been used since the 1930s (Gough et al, 1978) to make them suitable for manufacture of high ratio cakes; i.e. cakes that use high proportions of shortening and sugar.…”