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Great bakers know the importance of correct moisture content in each ingredient and how the moisture in a dough can alter the baking time, texture, and overall success of the baked good. With incorrect measurements, you can end up with a poor final result, leaving your customers wanting a better product, whether it be brownies, muffins, or bagels.
Here at Kett, we are scientists, and we believe baking is a science, too. It’s more like chemistry than art, requiring precision at every step. The key to achieving this precision is having the correct tools and taking accurate measurements.
Using a moisture meter throughout the baking and packaging process will provide a tastier, more consistent product. Here’s how a moisture meter can benefit baking at every step.
Correct Measurements
Whether you are preparing baking mixes or creating a large dough mixture, having the correct measurements is vital for baking success. Imagine using flour with too much or too little moisture: the moisture content affects the weight of the flour, and using an incorrect amount of flour can result in a finished product that is too moist or too dry.
In this experiment, flour lost 8% of its weight with only a slight increase in heat and lack of humidity. Because of this weight loss, it can be easy to use too much or too little flour, which can significantly affect the consistency.
With an accurate, instant moisture meter, you can be sure that your ingredients are stored at the correct moisture level, resulting in more consistent measurements and final results.
Packaging Prep
If you manufacture baking mixes, you know how important moisture content can be. A moisture meter can ensure that you’re consistently in the right moisture zone. Any extra moisture in the mix can cause clumping, which will only increase as the baking mix is stored, deteriorating the overall quality of the product.
Another important use for a moisture meter? Ensuring that the packing for your company’s baked goods or baking mixes does not contain an excess amount of moisture, which can wreak havoc on the quality of the product. No matter how airtight a seal may seem to be, storing a baking mix in a cardboard box with too much moisture is certain to alter the quality, taste, and texture of the box’s contents.
Shelf Life
Once you’ve created and stored your product, the correct amount of moisture in both the product and the packaging affects its shelf life. The moisture content affects the texture, taste, appearance, stability, and safety of baked goods.
Too little moisture can cause baking times to be off, and the final products can be crumbly or chalky instead of moist and delicious. Too much moisture can also cause the packing to curl and the baking mixes to clump, making the product dangerous and resulting in mold and foodborne illness.
Loss on Drying Method versus Moisture Meters
One way to determine moisture is the loss-on-drying method, which involves total dehydration of a sample and comparing the weight before the dehydration to the weight after. This method is time-consuming and requires waiting to use a shipment of flour until its moisture levels have been properly checked.
In addition to taking a great deal of time, this process can be inaccurate. Because the test process is destructive—say, for example, the product is heated and dehydrated— the sample cannot be used, wasting your ingredients.
Instead of relying on old-fashioned methods, we think the best method to determine moisture and ensure accuracy and consistency in baking is to rely on a moisture meter, specifically a near-infrared (NIR) meter, which requires little-to-no calibration, and provides instant, non-destructive readings, which means production can begin almost immediately, saving you time, product, and allowing you to check the ingredients at every turn. An NIR meter can also provide continuous moisture measurements, allowing you to automate mixing, blending, and drying to ultimately optimize your yields, throughput, and quality levels.
Want to achieve a better, tastier bake? Moisture meters are the way to go. Let us help you find the perfect moisture meter for your bakery or manufacturing plant. Contact us today to see how something as simple as a moisture meter can make for a more delicious cookie, a crustier baguette, and a fluffier cake, with one very simple solution.
