Hi everyone,
I’m developing a recipe for a cake with aw similar to a brownie, aiming to a shelf-life of approximately 6 months in ambient temperature.
For achieving the shelf-life, I’m considering adding the necessary preservatives, apply MAP, and packaging of aluPP/PP.
My questions are:
1. Do you think the addition of humectants will also be needed for preventing the product from getting dry? If so, would you recommend glycerol or another humectant, and approximately in what quantities?
2. Do you find any of the above steps unnecessary for achieving the shelf-life, and does any additional step needed?
3. Concerning preservatives, I’m considering adding Sorbic acid in 2000 ppm, which is in compliance with the national regulation. Do you think it will be sufficient for the specific product or do you suggest some other ones?
The principle here is reduction of Aw…
Replace part of your sugar with inverts sugar at 80 Brix solids or HFCS 55 or higher, fructose content and Add glycerin up to 3 to 5% and correspondingly reduce your water to compensate for the liquids in syrup.and polyol.
IF its chocolate based You can add 0.1% acetic acid. Spray the baked brownie surface with sorbic acid solutions .
All units based on total batter weight
Thanks a lot Roy, I appreciate the advice.
Does sorbic acid needs to necessarily be sprayed after baking, or can it also be added before the mix is baked?
Do you believe the exclusion of glycerin will have a great negative impact on making the cake become dry?
Lastly, do you think MAP is unnecessary for the specific product?
Thanks once again.
Sorbic acid is not so water soluble compared to its salts like potassium sorbate which is the most soluble and hence more effective as added preservatives in cake batter ,or cookie dough.
Thats why its often sprayed, there are some encapsulated version but more costly…
Glycerin due to its excellent humectant and Aw lowering effect will have a significant impact in enhancing texture and preservative action in a chewy product like cake bars or brownie like confection.
MAP use will improve further the shelf life so its recommended to use it
Excellent, thanks a lot.
Therefore, potassium sorbate can be used instead of its acid form, and be added to the batter before baking, correct?
Another question is why do you suggest the replacement of sugar with invert sugars or corn syrup? Won’t sugar absorb more water and therefore reduce the aw more effectively than syrups?
Syrups containing fructose content had l more effective Aw lowering effect than pure sucrose…So invert syrups and higher fructose content HFCS is efficient. In fact its much better if you can replace part of sucrose with pure fructose if acceptable in your formulation .