62 Alternatives to chlorination for cakeflour production.

S. P. CAUVAIN. Campden & Chorleywood Food Research Association, Chipping Campden, UK.

The production of high ratio cakes (i.e. sugar and liquids levels greater than recipe flour weight) currently uses flour which has been treated with chlorine gas to modify its baking characteristics. In some parts of the world chlorination of cakeflour is not permitted and in others may well crease to be acceptable. This paper will briefly consider the current standing of flour chlorination and why there is a need to consider alternatives. It will review the improvement cakemaking brought about by clorination and consider alternative ways of making high ratio cakes with non-chlorinated flours under three headings; chemical treatments, heat treatments and recipe modification. No single treatment method appears to offer all of the advantages that arise from using chlorine so that succesful use of non-chlorinated flours for use in high ratio cakes need to be based on a number of integrated changes in ingredients and formulations. Some examples will be given.