Enzymes in soda cracker production

Soda crackers were first produced in the United States and are now produced in many countries around the world. Although the soda cracker is a relatively simple product (Fig. 1), it represents a large portion of the fermented cracker segment of the snack food industry. Its primary competitor is the cream cracker, which is produced in Great Britain. Many kinds of crackers are made from fermented doughs, and some are unique to a country or region.

In cracker, cookie, and biscuit production, the characteristic texture of the product depends primarily on the properties of the gluten in the flour used. For cookies and biscuits, the texture, flavor, and color of the final product also depend on the raw materials used, such as shortening, sugar, milk solids, and leavening and flavoring agents; each ingredient has a specific purpose. Flour often constitutes less than 50% of the formula for these products. In contrast, flour often constitutes 88-90% of the formula for soda crackers, not including dough water. As a result, the formula and process are very different.

Soda cracker formulas are fairly standard, but it is possible to modify the composition slightly. Any modifications, even apparently minor ones, can make a major difference in the final quality of the cracker and provide an edge over the competition. Differences in formulas and process conditions are mostly related to yeast fermentation and gluten development. Addition of bacteria and enzymes can be used to make these modifications. The twostage 24-hr fermentation process that is generally used for soda cracker production is one means of obtaining desirable characteristics. When combined with variations in flour quality, small variations in the fermentation process can cause large variations in the quality of the final product.

In a long fermentation process, it is important to eliminate as many variables as possible. If flour is the major cause of variations, the process becomes more manageable. When flour characteristics change, differences can be adjusted for more easily. To limit variations, the specifications for raw materials, other than flour, should be strictly adhered to once they have been confirmed with suppliers. Final product characteristics that affect soda cracker quality include color, texture, stack height, irregular dark surface blisters, and excessive shrinkage or lack of shrinkage.

Once the...