Product range
Our pool of raw materials is probably unique in the industry
We stock hundreds of enzymes, additives and other ingredients in different specifications so that we can give every flour the desired extra value.
Changes in wheat qualities, the latest nutritional trends, new food regulations: whatever the task facing the industry, we analyze the international markets from every angle and adjust our range accordingly. Through research into new enzyme systems, especially, we find modern, economical responses to every challenge
The main focus of our range is on enzymes
Among these proteins with a catalytic effect, there is a specialist to tackle every task. Compared with other flour improvers, the dosage needed is extremely low and their cost-benefit ratio incredibly convincing.
The following is a brief overview of the most important enzyme classes in our “toolbox”:
Amylases (α-amylases, β-amylases, glucoamylases)
Amylases are the best known enzymes in flour treatment and those most often used. They break down the starch molecules of the flour so far that they can be used by the yeast as a source of energy. In doing so, the α-amylases form dextrins, which are then broken down further into maltose or glucose by the β-amylases and glucoamylases. The short-chain reducing sugars are also involved in flavour formation and browning of the baked goods.
Hemicellulases (xylanases, pentosanases)
Wheat flour with an ash content of around 0.5 percent contains about 2.5 percent pentosans (hemicelluloses). These pentosans already absorb large amounts of water in the cold dough and form a gel. Xylanases (classed as pentosanases) destroy the gel structure; this releases water in the dough and reduces its viscosity. Their use also modifies the gluten network: the firmness and elasticity of the dough is reduced, and its extensibility increases.
Carboxyl ester hydrolases (lipases, phospholipases, glycolipases)
Carboxyl ester hydrolases transform the fats and fat-like substances naturally present in the flour, and also added lipids, into more readily emulsifying substances (e.g. mono- and diglycerides). This process can lead to structural advantages that make it possible to reduce the use of emulsifiers or do without them altogether.
Proteases (also called proteinases or peptidases)
Proteases split the proteins of the flour, thus weakening the gluten network. This mode of action is used chiefly in the production of crackers, biscuits and wafers. Whereas extensible doughs with little tendency to shrink are preferable for biscuits and crackers, wafer production requires thin batters in which the various ingredients are homogeneously dispersed. The activity of the protease causes a breakdown of the gluten and results in soft, pliable biscuit and cracker doughs or a lump-free wafer batter that spreads evenly over the wafer irons. Moreover, proteases form short-chain peptides and amino acids that promote flavour and pigment formation.
Oxidases
By forming hydrogen peroxide, oxidases bring about increased cross-linking of the protein strands in the dough, which in turn leads to greater firmness and stability. Since oxygen is required for this process, the effect is restricted mainly to the surface of the dough. The oxidase currently most important for flour treatment is glucose oxidase.
Enzymes are key components of our flour improvers
Over the course of decades, Mühlenchemie has acquired a thorough knowledge of the functionalities of enzymes combined with a high level of competence in their applications. This is continuously accompanied and extended by basic research, creating the conditions necessary for making specific use of the synergistic potential of the enzymes among themselves and with other components in order to achieve optimum effects. As a result, our enzyme systems are superior to enzymes used singly and permit better results from baking and more economical solutions.
Enzymes with mono-specificity
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| Alphamalt A Alphamalt V | Fungal alpha-amylases | • All desired concentrations • Use with high falling numbers • Boosts oven rise • Increases baked volume, reduces firmness of the dough |
| Alphamalt BA | Bacterial alpha-amylases | • For use in long-life bakery products to achieve saccharification and enhanced browning |
| Betamalt | Beta-amylase | • Breaks down starch into maltose for controlled
adjustment of the falling number • Prolongs the shelf-life • Boosts oven rise |
| Alphamalt GA | Glucoamylase / amyloglucosidase | • Breaks down starch into glucose to achieve greater oven rise,
especially with retarded fermentation or freezing • Enhanced browning |
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| Alphamalt Fresh | Exo-amylases | • Delays staling |
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| Alphamalt HC | Hemicellulases (xylanases, pentosanases) | • Good to extremely good extensibility of the doughs • Firms or relaxes the dough • Releases water / reduces viscosity • Dries and strengthens wheat and rye doughs • High volume yields • Fine texture • Improves machinability |
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| Alphamalt Gloxy | Glucose oxidase with selected side activities | • Strengthens the gluten • Produces firmer dough • Increases the stability of wheat and rye doughs • Increases water absorption • Improves dough tolerance • Increases fermentation stability • Improves processing properties |
| Alphamalt ROX | Glucose oxidase (with a wider range of substrates) | • Strengthens the gluten • Produces firmer dough • Increases the stability of wheat and rye doughs • Increases water absorption • Improves dough tolerance • Increases fermentation stability • Improves processing properties |
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| Alphamalt PRO, Alphamalt B, Alphamalt BK, Alphamalt BP, Alphamalt PP | Proteases from various sources (fungal, bacterial, vegetable) | • Splits the protein strands of the gluten skeleton • Plastic, easily shaped doughs • Reduces dough resistance • Enhances flavour and browning • Increases extensibility • Prevents cracking of biscuits • Shortens dough resting time |
ENZYME SYSTEMS WITH MULTIPLE SPECIFICITIES
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| Alphamalt A Powerzym | Amylase and hemicellulases of different specifities | • Doughs with good extensibility and good stability result in
better machinability • High volume yields |
| Alphamalt T | Amylase and hemicellulase of different specifities | • Enzyme systems with amylases as leading enzymes and dough-drying components (specific xylanases, oxidases etc.) |
| Alphamalt H | Hemicellulases of different specifities | • Enzyme system with hemicellulases as leading enzymes; combined with different side activities,depending on the flour quality |
| Alphamalt DFX Alphamalt EFX Alphamalt LPX Alphamalt LP | Carboxylester hydrolase of different specifities | • Enzyme complexes with specificity for triglycerides, phospholipids and glycolipids naturally present in the flour. Standardized side activities for: • Stabilizing the dough • Increasing the volume yield • Enhancing texture • Brightening the crumb • Prolongned fresh keeping for packed goods |
| Alphamalt SFX | Carboxylester hydrolase and amylases of different specifities | • Enzyme complexes • Enhanced texture • Prolongned fresh keeping for packed goods |
| Alphamalt B Alphamalt BK Alphamalt LQ | Proteolytic enzymes of different specifities | • Enzyme complexes with proteolytic leading
activity and standardized side activities • Expansion of the gluten • Prevention of blister formation with strong gluten • Faster fermentation • Enhanced flavour formation • Greater extensibility • Softer doughs • Rapid and powerful liquefaction of the dough, especially with wafer batters • Fewer broken wafers • Homogeneous wafer batters • Prevention of cracks in biscuits and crackers |
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| Alphamalt BX Alphamalt BE Alphamalt BS Alphamalt BXT | Enzyme systems with or without oxidation | Standardized enzyme/oxidation systems for • long or short dough processes • High volume yields, even with large percentages of fat and sugar |
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| Alphamalt AX | Dough-stabilizing enzyme system | Standardized enzyme system for long or short dough processes |
Complexes of Active Ingredients
In order to perfect the flours further, we round off the enzymatic constituents with other functional substances such as ascorbic acid, emulsifiers, acidity regulators or hydrocolloids. Our complexes of active ingredients make it possible to process even wheat lots with unsatisfactory baking properties into quality products. The important aspect is the interaction between the single raw materials, which we integrate into a synergetic compound.
Ascorbic acid
With the aid of the enzymes naturally present in the flour, ascorbic acid in the dough brings about an oxidative strengthening of the gluten and improves the gas retention capacity and baked volume of the dough. The functionality of ascorbic acid depends to a large extent on the size of the particles. Our renowned quality brand ELCO is valued for its standardized, homogeneous particle size and optimum flow properties.
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| ELCO | Ascorbic acid | Various different grain sizes 40-80 mesh 80 mesh 100 mesh, and to customer's specification |
| Glutin | Ascorbic acid | Standardized concentrations for better dosing |
| Elco BE CS Elco GF | Ascorbic acid | Encapsulated ascorbic acid qualities with delayed action |
Malt flours and malt extracts
Colour, flavour, dough rheology or oven rise: malt flours have a positive effect on the quality of bakery products. Enzyme-active malt flours improve the processing properties of the dough, while colouring and flavouring malt flours and water-soluble malt extracts lend the products an attractive appearance.
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| EMCEmalt | Malt flours, enzyme-active | • Boosts oven rise • Better browning and more flavour • Prolongs the shelf-life |
| EMCEmalt | Malt flours, enzyme-inactive | • Controls the colour of crumb and crust • Malty flavour |
| EMCEmaltex | Malt extracts, enzyme-inactive | • Better browning and more flavour • Crisper crust |
Emulsifiers
The addition of emulsifiers combines non-miscible substances to form stable emulsions. In the baking process, emulsifiers ensure homogeneous distribution of the individual ingredients and good retention of the gas bubbles in the dough. They also make the doughs pliable to work and give the baked products a long shelf life.
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| Leciflor | Lecithins in powder form (also hydrolyzed) | • Better dough properties and machinability • Finer crumb structure • Longer shelf-life |
| Mulgaprime | Mono- / diglycerides | • Finer texture / crumb • Better dough stability • Longer shelf-life |
| Mulgaprime 16 | DATEM (diacetyl tartaric ester of mono- and diglycerides) | • Greater gas retention capacity and better fermentation tolerance • Larger baked volume • Crisper crust |
| Mulgaprime SSL Mulgaprime CSL | Stearoyl lactylate (sodium and calcium stearoyl lactylate) | • Lactic acid esters to increase gas retention capacity and fermentation tolerance • Increase the bread volume • Prolongs the shelf-life of the crumb |
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| EMCEsponge | Whipping emulsifier (lactic and acetic acid esters, propylene glycol esters, polyglycerol esters) | • Emulsifier systems for making cakes from whipped doughs / batters |
| Multaprime DX | Enzyme-emulsifier complexes | • Better machinability • Greater water absorption • Higher volume yield • Even, soft crumb |
| Mulgaprot | Lecithins, mono- and diglycerides | Emulsifier complexes for standardizing dough and baking
properties. For the following, depending on the flour quality and application: • Drying the dough surfaces • Increasing the lubricity of the dough • Improving machinability • Prolonging the shelf-life |
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| Alphamalt DFX Alphamalt EFX | Esterases, hemicellulases, oxidases | • Increases the tolerance of the dough and the baked volume. • Creates a finer crumb |
| Alphamalt SFX | Esterases, hemicellulases, amylases | • Increases baked volume • Prolongs the shelf-life of the crumb |
Vital wheat gluten
In order to make wheat lots with a low gluten content fully usable, the flours produced from them are often upgraded with vital wheat gluten. The gluten extracted from quality wheat and gently dried has a positive effect on the water binding capacity, stability and fermentation tolerance of the dough.
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| EMCEvit | Vital gluten, Lecithinized vital gluten, Ferment active vital gluten | • Increases dough stability • Improves the processing properties of the dough • Increases fermentation tolerance • Boosts volume yield |
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| EMCEgluten Plus EMCEgluten Enhancer | Enzyme complexes with vegetable proteins or fibres | • Increases dough stability • Improves the processing properties of the dough • Increases fermentation tolerance • Boosts volume yield |
Hydrocolloids
Hydrocolloids bind water and subsequently release the moisture very slowly. In this way they improve the fermentation stability of the doughs and prolong the shelf life of the baked products.
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| EMCEgum | Guar gum powder | • Produces dryer doughs • Increases water binding capacity • Prolongs the shelf-life • Improves fermentation stability |
Flour maturing and oxidizing agents*
Flour maturing and oxidizing agents are powerful additives that speed up maturation of the flour, stabilize the dough, increase the volume yield or brighten the colour of the crumb. However, the use of chemical flour maturing and oxidizing agents is declining rapidly worldwide.
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| OXEM | Azodicarbonamide | • Better fermentation tolerance • Greater volume yield |
| DECOLOX | Benzoyl peroxide | • Bleaching agent: strong bleaching effect on the flour; firmer gluten structure |
| CALCO | Calcium peroxide | • Mild oxidizing agent for dry doughs; for combining with other oxidizing systems |
| BROMCO | Bromate | • Supple doughs • Good fermentation tolerance • High volume yields |
*These flour improvers are not permitted in the EU. National regulations must be observed.
Dough softeners
Dough softeners make the dough more extensible and less elastic. This function is used primarily in the production of biscuits and crackers in order to prevent the dough from shrinking and reduce cracking.
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| EMCEsoft P | Cysteine | • Shorter mixing times • Better processing properties of the doughs • Less resistance to extension • Greater extensibility • Softens the gluten |
| EMCErelax | Inactivated yeast | • Shorter mixing times • Better processing properties of the doughs • Less resistance to extension • Greater extensibility • Softens the gluten |
Acidity regulators
Doughs can be stabilized by balancing their acidity. Acidity regulators also make it possible to inhibit excessive amylase activity in flours produced from sprout-damaged grain. Acidity regulators are also used in combination with preservatives, since the effect of the latter is increased by a lower pH.
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| Rowelit | Acid and mineral complexes with a buffering effect | • Improves the baking properties of sprout-damaged
wheat and rye flours • Raises the falling number • Corrects undesirable baking properties at increased enzymatic activity |
| Secalit | Acid and mineral complexes with a buffering effect | • Improves the swelling properties of mixed and rye bread |
Preservatives
One little spot of mould is enough to make a whole loaf inedible. The use of preservatives slows down the growth of moulds and considerably prolongs the microbiological stability of the baked goods.
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| EMCEprop | Calcium propionate | • Preservative for sliced bread and pastry goods |
| EMCEsorb | Potassium sorbate | • Slows down the growth of mould |
| EMCErope D | Sodium diacetate | • Inhibits Bacillus mesentericus, prevents ropiness |
Leguminous flours
Enzyme-active leguminous flour brightens the crumb of the baked products and also stabilizes the dough. Toasted and with its full fat content, or alternatively defatted, it creates a full flavour and a short crumb structure. As a welcome side effect, it increases the protein content.
| Product | Active components | Description / effects |
|---|---|---|
| SOYnovo - soy flour LENTInovo - lentil flour VIFAnovo - bean flour | Leguminous flours (enzyme-active, toasted, de-oiled, full-fat) | • Brightens the crumb • Fine texture |