From Soft Crumbs to Crisp Bites: Inner Moisture in Focus

Inner Moisture: Why It Matters

Moisture plays a central role in defining the texture and appeal of baked goods—but the “right” level depends entirely on the product. Some products, like pan bread or sponge cakes, need to retain moisture for softness and freshness. Others, such as biscuits or crackers, owe their quality to being dry and crisp.

Moisture originates in the process itself, when ingredients are blended and water is added to create dough or batter. How this water interacts with flour components ultimately determines whether the final product is soft, moist, or dry and crunchy—just as consumers expect.

Transformation of Dough - Explore the Keys to Inner Moisture

In the Back to Flour Series, Transformation of Dough shows how specific flour components influence key product attributes such as softness, stickiness, volume, color, size, and, particulary inner moisture.

The dedicated video highlights three main flour components that strongly influence moisture retention and distribution:

• Proteins: not just the quantity but also the quality matters. The gluten network retains moisture and supports the desired crumb texture.
• Damaged Starch: absorbs more water, increasing dough’s water-holding capacity.
  
  • Achieving the right balance between proteins and damaged starch is essential to avoid stickiness and ensure proper dough handling.
• Ash Content:  binds significant amounts of water but, in excess, can hinder dough development and compromise product quality.

For a Quick Overview of What Shapes Inner Moisture

To complement the video, our PDF guide offers a concise technical summary. It includes a comparative table showing how flour components impact size and shape across different products—from baguettes and pan breads to biscuits and croissants

📄 Download the PDF: What Impacts 92% of Baked Product Inner Moisture

What’s Next?

This focus on Inner Moisture is part of our ongoing exploration in the Back to Flour Series. By linking consumer expectations to flour functionality, we provide an intuitive and scientific understanding of what makes bakery products desirable.

The Back to Flour Series is constantly growing—with videos, technical PDFs, and resources across At the Table, Transformation of Dough, Secrets of Flour, and more technical insights to come.

Explore the categories below and stay tuned as we continue to connect flour functionality with product excellence.