DOUGH CONDITIONING COMPOSITION AND METHOD

DOUGH CONDITIONING COMPOSITION AND METHOD A low cost method and composition for conditioning and softening bread doughs or the like to increase the volume, shelf-life, crumb texture, color, cell structure and other desirable taste and organoleptic properties of the finished wheat based baked or fried products. The method comprises incorporating into the dough prior to cooking thereof from about 0.25% to 2% (baker's weight) of a hydrated admixture containing from about 20% to 80% by weight water, an alkali or alkaline earth metal salt of the acyl lactylates of C14-C22 fatty acids(preferably sodium or calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate), and ethoxylated mono-and diglycerides of the C14-C22 fatty acids. In preferred forms, the admixture is about 50% water with the weight ratio of the lactylate component to the glyceride component being about 4:1 The active components of the admixture act in a synergistic fashion to produce equal or improved quality baked goods when compared to those containing twice as much sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate alone.