Non-Equilibrium States and Glass Transitions in Bakery Products

The non-equilibrium states in bakery products, the corresponding transitions, as well as their impacts on some physical properties of the bakery products are discussed in this chapter. Frozen dough and bread are the two major bakery products that have been subject to intensive studies which are critically reviewed. Research results on biscuit, cracker, cookie, cake, tortilla, and wafer are also covered. Major ingredients, moisture content, and storage condition are the most influential factors in determining the non-equilibrium properties of bakery products. Several characterization techniques have been employed in this area, among which differential scanning calorimeter, dynamic mechanical analyzer, thermal mechanical analyzer, dielectric analyzer, and dielectric thermal mechanical analyzer are the most common and informative ones. The non-equilibrium states and glass transitions have significant influence on the product quality, sensory properties, processing condition, and shelf life of various bakery products, and thus need to be carefully controlled from the viewpoint of both academic research and industrial applications.