Effect of shortening and surfactants on selected chemical/physicochemical parameters and sensory quality of Arabic bread

Shortening (0.5 or 1.0% on flour-mass basis), distilled monoglycerides (MG), sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (SSL), diacetyl tartaric acid esters of monoglycerides (DATEM) or l-ascorbyl-6-palmitate (AP) at the 0.25 or 0.50% level, and shortening/surfactant combinations were added to Arabic bread and the effects on water-binding capacity (WBC), amylose content of soluble starch and sensory properties evaluated. WBC and percentage amylose of soluble starch were not affected by shortening and decreased in the presence of surfactants. The sensory quality of breads was not affected by shortening. At the 0.25% level, the first-day quality was not affected by MG and improved in the presence of SSL, DATEM or AP. High levels (0.5%) of surfactant adversely affected the breadsʹ first-day quality. Addition of shortening to surfactant-containing formulations negatively affected the first-day quality of the product. Surfactants, alone or in combination with shortening, had deleterious effects on the keeping quality of Arabic bread.