NIR measurements of the development of crystallinity in stored bread crumb

Abstract

Differential scanning calorimetry and near infrared (NIR) reflectance spectroscopy have been used to follow the development of crystallinity in stored bread. Using each technique, changes in measured properties were apparent which, when fitted by first-order exponential equations, gave calculated rate constants of similar magnitude. It is postulated that each technique is giving complementary information about the changes taking place in the amylopectin fraction of the bread crumb.