When baking your bar cake there are several things you need to put in mind to ensure that the shelf life of the cake is not compromised. There are several factors that can determine how long your cake can last, with or without the refrigerator, before you completely shove it down the trash. It’s always a sad thing to see such delicacies go to waste after going through the hard work of preparing them. The cause of spoilage is due to the activities of microorganisms liked mould, and maybe yeast in some cases. Generally, all that is done to increase the shelf life these food is reduce the activities of microorganisms.
Unlike most others cakes with a short shelf life, the bar cakes takes longer to get spoilt or change start and that is dues to some special factors we will be discussing in this article. With the contents of this article you can learn the new thing that came increase the shelf life of your cakes and generally, your baked food. Here are some of the factors responsible for the long shelf life of bar cakes;
The amount of water present in the cake can determine how long it will last. Water is needed by microorganisms to carry out their activities. When the cake is baked dried with very little water content left with it, the shelf life of the cake is bound increase. The amount of moisture present after baking is determined by the baker and the method of baking used.
Generally, the temperature of the environment impacts the shelf life of the bar cake. Foods are kept in the refrigerator to ensure that the temperature is kept lower than the convenient temperature for microorganisms. At low temperatures, the activities of microorganisms are greatly reduced, thereby increasing the shelf life of the cake. When bake, the heat of the oven kills most of the microorganisms with the exception of the heat resistant microorganisms. The microorganisms that spoil food either germinate from the heat resistant variants or germinate from spores. But one thing sure, you can reduce the rate of spoilage by reducing temperature.
It is often said that we should cover our good to prevent germs from intestine. On exposure food and of course, cakes, could serve as rich medium for microorganisms to thrive and destroy whatever that delicious cake has to offer. By exposing the cake to the atmosphere, more CO2 is absorbed thereby increasing the pH and acidity of the food. Moreover, exposure to atmospheric oxygen promote microbial activities. The level of packaging of the bar cake extends its shelf life in a lot of ways.
Bar cakes are usually baked with antioxidants to reduce the level of oxidation within the cake. Different microorganisms have different level of oxygen tolerance, by using antioxidants and reducing the redox potential. One other key function of antioxidants is that they reduce rancidity. Rancidity can be a major problem in bakery because it changes the taste of the baked product and produces a pungent smell out of it. Rancidity is caused by the oxidation of fat and oil. The use of antioxidants like flavonoids, vitamins C and E can reduce rancidity.
The quality of ingredients used in the baking of your bar cake is as important as the quality of cake you intend to produce. The cake that is produced with inferior or expired ingredient is bound to have a short shelf life accompanied with a terrible taste and texture.
You may use the right quality of ingredients with the wrong requirements or nutritional value. The composition of the cake and the ingredients used have alot to contribute to the shelf life of the cake. The use of natural source of nutrient may increase microbial activities and reduce shelf life. Microorganisms derive protein, lipids and carbohydrates from the different ingredients used. On the other hand, the use of synthetic replacements can help to reduce the rate of spoilage. The use of salt, for instance, can help to reduce the water content of the cake because of its water binding capacity.
A bar cake is solid with very little water content. This promote the long shelf life of the cake. The nature of composition of the cake has a lot to do to it shelf life. A pasty semisolid baked food will have a shorter shelf life than a solid bar cake. This is because a solid cake has very little micro spaces for microbes to move around.
Basically, fruits cakes and bar cakes have the longest shelf life because of the condiments used. Flavourings and chocolates used in the baking of bar cake help to absorb moisture and reduce the water content of the cake thereby increasing its shelf life.
Microbes flourish when there’s no limiting factor to their growth. The use of other microbial agents that can compete with putrefying microbes will help to increase the shelf life of your cake. These agents are harmless and FDA approved. These microbial agents are often bacteriophages, they are viruses that attack specific kinds of bacteria that cause spoilage of food.
The process of production or baking of the cake is an important determinant of its shelf life. To ensure a cake that will, minimum exposure should be taken to cognizance. The less hands and unsterilized equipment used in production, the less the possibility of contamination and spoilage. Packaging of the cake can also contaminate the cake and reduce the shelf life. Irradiation is often an effective way of ensuring that microbes to remain in the cake during packaging (at an industrial scale).
The use of preservatives and additives general help to extend the shelf life of cake by slowing down oxidation and microbial activities. Humectant on the other hand help to absorb moisture and reduce water content from the surrounding. Glycerol is a common Humectant in the baking industry. A very good preservatives used in baking bar cake is Potassium Sorbate & Sorbic Acid.
Benefits of Potassium Sorbate & Sorbic Acid
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-Akshit Gupta (Asha Ram & Sons Pvt. Ltd.)
