A STUDY OF THE BREAD-BAKING PROCESS .1. A PHENOMENOLOGICAL MODEL

A phenomenological hypothesis of bread baking was developed. The tempe rature, moisture, and volume were determined during the baking process of a leavened bread sample. Experimental data have shown that the var iation in temperature and moisture of bread during baking are determin ed by the formation of an evaporation front at 100-degrees-C. The prog ressive advance of the evaporation front towards the inside of the pro duct results in the formation of two separate regions: the crust, wher e moisture is very low and temperature asymptotically tends to the ove n temperature, and the crumb, where moisture is constant and temperatu re asymptotically tends to 100-degrees-C.