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Raising Agents

This document is a report submitted by Svetlana Dowding for her Food & Food Science course at Cyril Potter College of Education. The report discusses raising agents, including definitions of different types (chemical, mechanical, biological) and examples of each. It describes how raising agents work in batters and doughs to incorporate air and cause expansion. Specific raising agents like baking soda, baking powder, steam, and yeast are examined in terms of how they leaven various food items. The document also details points to consider when purchasing yeast and tests for checking yeast freshness. Practical experiments are described that demonstrate properties of yeast and effects of temperature, water quality, and ingredients. References are listed at the end.

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Daniel Dowding
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903 views8 pages

Raising Agents

This document is a report submitted by Svetlana Dowding for her Food & Food Science course at Cyril Potter College of Education. The report discusses raising agents, including definitions of different types (chemical, mechanical, biological) and examples of each. It describes how raising agents work in batters and doughs to incorporate air and cause expansion. Specific raising agents like baking soda, baking powder, steam, and yeast are examined in terms of how they leaven various food items. The document also details points to consider when purchasing yeast and tests for checking yeast freshness. Practical experiments are described that demonstrate properties of yeast and effects of temperature, water quality, and ingredients. References are listed at the end.

Uploaded by

Daniel Dowding
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 8

Name: Svetlana Dowding

Course: Food & Food Science


Lecturer’s Name: Mrs. Saul
Institution: Cyril Potter College of Education
Cohort: 2019-2021
Class: PV1B

1
Contents
Raising Agent..........................................................................................................................................3
Practical Activity Findings......................................................................................................................6
Reference.................................................................................................................................................8

2
Raising Agent
1) What are raising agents?
Raising agents are substances added to a food product (such as dough or
batter) that makes them rise when cooked.

2) List the types of raising agents.


 Chemical raising agent
 Mechanical raising agent
 Biological raising agent

3) Explain the terms chemical raising agent and mechanical raising agent.
Chemical raising agents are those that require a chemical reaction in order to
function and mechanical raising agents involve the action of physical
movement.

4) Name two chemical raising agents and three mechanical raising agents.
Two chemical raising agents are baking soda and baking powder. Three
mechanical raising agents are sieving, creaming and whisking.

5) Describe why raising agents are used in batters and doughs?


Raising agents are used in batters and doughs because they help to cause
expansion by the release of gas bubbles inside the dough or batter. This also,
makes a product light in weight. The expansion of gas bubbles during baking
increases the volume of the product and gives a desirable porous structure.

6) How is air incorporated into batters and doughs?


Air is incorporated into doughs by the sieving of flour, whisking of eggs, from
the folding method also, by using fingers to create that bread like crumb when
making pastries. On the other hand, air is incorporated into batter by whisking,
creaming, sieving, beating, and folding.

7)   Name three items leavened by:

- Baking soda- ginger bread, banana cake, bread

3
- Baking Powder- biscuits, muffins, scones

-Steam- cream puff, popovers, eclairs

- Air- sponge cake, angel food cake, pancake

8) Describe points to consider when purchasing yeast.


1. Check the manufacturing date this gives you an idea of when the yeast was
manufactured and its freshness.
2. Check the expiry date this informs you that the yeast should be used before
the date given.
3. Always check your ingredient list on the package because some may be
gluten free.
4. Check the label of the brand that you are considering to purchase as the
nutrients may be different in the various brands.
5. Buy in amounts that you would use, if you buy large amounts ensure that
there is appropriate storage for it.

9) Explain how yeast can be tested for freshness.

Proof your yeast to find out if it’s still active by adding 1 teaspoon of yeast to a
100 ml of warm water. Mix until the yeast has dissolved and 1 teaspoons of
sugar. Then, wait 10 minutes. If the mixture bubbles and develops a yeasty
aroma, the yeast is still good.

10)  Describe the term fermentation and over-fermentation?

Fermentation is a metabolic process in which an organism converts a


carbohydrate, such as starch or a sugar, into an alcohol or an acid. For example
yeast performs fermentation to obtain energy by converting sugar into alcohol.

Over fermentation is where the dough was allowed to set for a long period of
time, and because the gas production was way more than it should have been
hence causing the texture, smell and taste of the dough to be different. When the
dough is put to bake it does not rise properly.

11)  What are the types of baking powder sold in your community/supermarket?

4
 Champion Baking Powder
 Lion Baking Powder

12)  Explain why steam is a good leavening agent?

Steam is a good leavening agent because it is formed from moisture and this
accounts for about one third to four fifths of the raising agent of the dough or
batter. One volume of water forms about 1600 volumes of water vapour. The
vapour pressure of water increases quickly when the temperature is increased
that causes the dough or batter to raise.

13) Discuss why, when baking soda is used alone is not a good leavening agent.

Baking soda, also sometimes referred to as “sodium bicarb,” is plain sodium


bicarbonate. On the ph scale, it is considered as an alkaline. In order for it to do
its job of leavening baked goods, it needs an acidic component to react with.
When the basic properties of baking soda is mixed with the acidic properties of
another ingredient the baking soda works to neutralize the acid and this is what
causes the air bubbles (carbon dioxide) that leavens the baked goods. On the
other, for those reasons baking soda is not a good leavening agents when used
alone because it needs an acidic component to react with.

14)  Discuss the role starch plays in baking powder.

Starch is added to baking powder as a standardizing agent. Starch is primarily


used to absorb moisture in the ambient air, thus lessening the loss of carbon
dioxide during storing. Also, starch is added to prolong self-life of the compound
by keeping the powder alkaline and acidic components dry so, as not to react with
each other prematurely.

5
Practical Activity Findings
1. Completely fill a drinking glass with flour and tap it to make sure it is really
full. Sieve the flour from the glass twice on to a piece of paper. Try to put all
the flour back into the glass.

What do you notice?


What I would have noticed that the flour was more after it was sifted twice.

Can you explain what has happened?


What happened is that the action of sieving the flour created more air in it
which caused the flour to appear more.

Why is sieving important?


Sieving is important because it helps to remove large particles for the flour.
Also, it incorporates air into the flour thus in turn will aid in the raising of
food items and soften them.

2. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of dried yeast in 100mls of warm water and add 1


teaspoon of sugar. Leave in a warm place for ten minutes and write down
what happens.

After the 10 minutes I would have realized that the yeast and sugar mixture
would have risen in the glass.

Repeat this four times, but instead of warm water and sugar:

a) Use cold water and sugar and leave in a cold place.


After the 10 minutes I would have noticed that the there were 3 three
layers or parts. The first part had clear water while the second part had
a cream colour and the final part had sugar at the bottom.

b) Use salt instead of sugar and leave in a warm place.

6
After the 10 minutes I would have realized that the mixture would have
separated and the heavy item (salt) would have settled at the bottom of
the glass. On the other hand, the water remained at the top.

c) Use boiling water and sugar and leave in a warm place.


After the 10 minutes I would have noticed that the there were 4 layers
or parts. The first layer had clear water while the second had a very light
cream colour, the third had an off white to cream colour and finally the
sugar would have settled at the bottom of the class.

d) Use warm water only (no sugar) and leave in a warm place.
After the ten minutes I would noticed that there were 3 layers or parts.
The first part had clear water while the second part had a very light
cream colour and the final part had a cream to off white colour.

7
Reference
Bakerbettie.com
https://www.thespruceeats.com/main-types-of-leavening-agents-and-how-they-
work-4125705#:~:text=Steam%3A%20Vaporous%20Leavening%20Agent,reaches
%20212%20F%20and%20vaporizes.&text=The%20key%20to%20this
%20leavening,the%20dough%20captures%20the%20steam.

http://alphawhat.blogspot.com/2013/08/baking-soda-vs-baking-powder.html

https://setupmyhotel.com/train-my-hotel-staff/chef-training/703-raising-agent-
leavening-agent.html#:~:text=Leavening%20or%20raising%20means%20to,gives
%20a%20desirable%20porous%20structure.

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2015/11/05/test-yeast-baking-powder-
baking-soda-freshness#:~:text=To%20test%20yeast%20for%20freshness
%3A&text=Dissolve%201%2F2%20teaspoon%20sugar,or%202%20teaspoons
%20instant%20yeast.&text=After%2010%20minutes%2C%20the%20yeast
%20has%20started%20to%20bubble%20and%20expand.
[ CITATION Ani09 \l 1033 ]

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