1. What is the function of yeast in baking?
The yeast's function is to ferment sugars present in the flour or added to the dough. Fermentation is the conversion of sugar to carbon dioxide and alcohol. The carbon dioxide is trapped within tiny bubbles and results in the dough expanding, or rising.

Yeast eats sugar and makes CO2. This creates bubbles in the bread or baked goods to which it has been added. This adds rise to the bread, giving a thick loaf with a fluffy texture and a delicate feel.
 
2. Different types of yeast?
• Fresh Yeast - yeast in "cake" or compressed form, needs chiller to store, 2 week life span, but affordable.

• Active Dry Yeast – needs to be “activated” before use, 1 year shelf life.

• Instant Yeast – convenience of use, ease of storage, longest shelf life - 2 years
 
3. How important is yeast in baking?
Yeast is the essential ingredient in many bakery products. It is responsible for leavening the dough and imparting a delicious yeast fermentation flavor to the product. Without yeast, one would probably get a hard biscuit-cake that would not be pleasant or palatable.

Yeast is used in rather small amounts in most bakery products, however, having good yeast and using the yeast properly often makes the difference between success and failure in a bakery operation.		  
 
4. What makes a good yeast?
The main requirements of professional bakers worldwide:

Performance - fermenting power and speed.

Consistency – stability and consistent performance over long periods of time. Note that yeast performance varies with weather, humidity and altitude. The yeast should be able to withstand different climatic conditions without changes in performance.
 
 
5. What is SAF?
SAF is the market leader in instant yeast worldwide. With unbeatable fermenting time and consistent performance whether you are in a cool and dry, or a hot and humid climate, SAF has been unmatched for over 2 centuries.
 

Only with SAF:
  • unbeatable speed in fermentation
  • peace of mind that your production will always be on schedule
  • natural aroma, white-beige color, and does not sour the bread
  • cold water resistant
  • sugar resistant
  • guaranteed consistent
  • works well even in cool climates
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    6. Are Bread Improvers necessary?
    There are two main reasons for the use of bread improvers, and that is to help produce gas, and to retain the gas inside the bread. This is done by including enzymes to act on the yeast and gluten. The enzyme strengthens the gluten thereby giving the bread a better structure and retaining more of the gas produced.

    Bread improvers may also include emulsifiers which promotes or stabilizes the dispersion of one liquid in another insoluble liquid.

    The multiple functions of emulsifiers include:
    • optimizing volume, machinability, texture and symmetry
    • increasing shelf life
    • less use of fat in the formula

    Bread improvers are currently considered an indispensable ingredient in breads.
     
    7. What is 'Dutch Cocoa' and how does it differ from other cocoas?
    Unsweetened cocoa powder results from the pressing of chocolate liquor to remove most of the cocoa butter. The remaining cocoa solids are processed to make a fine powder.

    With Dutch Cocoa, the beans are treated with alkaline solution to make them darker in color, and milder in flavor. The addition of alkaline salts neutralizes the acids in the cocoa, making it more easily soluble in liquids.

    In contrast, a non-alkalized cocoa, because it has not been Dutch processed, still contains cocoa's natural acids. Non-alkalized, or natural cocoa, tends to be lighter in color but stronger in flavor.
     
    8. What makes a good cocoa powder?
    A good cocoa powder varies depending on one’s taste, aroma, and color preference. In the Philippines, it has been observed that people prefer a bitter taste, strong aroma and dark color.

    One should be wary of cocoa powders in the market. Some cocoa powders may be dark in color but come out lighter in baked goods. A strong, flavorful aroma sometimes dissipates after it comes out of the oven. At times, a chocolate taste may not even be evident, no matter the amount of cocoa used.

    A good cocoa powder should have a strong bitter taste, dark color and robust aroma. Therefore, it should always be cautioned that, when quality is the priority, one should always stick to known brands and trusted suppliers.
     
    9. What are Premixes?
    Premixes are complex blends of ingredients for food or drink applications. A good premix identifies and achieves desired specifications, ensures quality and consistency, all without compromising taste or texture in the end product.
     
    10.Why use Premixes?
    Whether in a small-medium scale operation or a fully automated production process, premixes come with many advantages:

    • Minimizes the number of raw materials and suppliers
    • Reduces the lengthy scaling process and eliminates human error
    • Reduces freight costs on individual ingredients
    • Reduces inventory / warehousing / storage space
    • Ensures consistency in quality
    • Saves time
    • No more hassle