FERMENTATION FLAVORS FOR BAKERY PRODUCTS

Flavorful baked products, such as bread, bagels, pastry, cakes, cereal, cookies, biscuits, savory crackers and snack products, are prepared using a liqu id ferment typically containing a mixture of microbes that produce lactic acid and acetic acid, such as a mixture of Lactobacillus and Gluconobacter species that g row in concert when incubated at about 25.degree. to 37.degree.C with flour and wate r to achieve a ferment that has a pH of about 3.6 to 3.9, a titratable acidity of about 0.04 to 0.3 meq/g, a lactic and concentration of from about 0.5 to 2%, an acetic acid concen tration of from about 0.1 to 1%, and a viscosity of less than about 100 cps. The liquid ferment is maintained in an active state such that fermented flavor can b e continuously generated by adding water and flour and drawing of liquid such that the average residency time is from 12 to 48 hours. Saccharomyces chevalieri is used as part of the microbial complement in preferred embodiments. When used for making bagels, concentrations of about 3 to 10% of this ferment added to the dou gh yield bagels that have a chewy texture and good flavor without a retarding step.