Methods of analysing biscuit quality

Introduction

Baking technology involves adoption of various methods of baking to produce varied products where biscuits are among them. However, in order for the produced biscuits to be of high quality and suitable for selling, necessary quality control measures must be implemented and then subjected to continuous and regular monitoring for timely and convenient detection of any slight deviations in the quality of biscuits from the ideal or standard ranges (Mcwilliam, 2008).

Methods of investigating biscuit quality

Determination of biscuit moisture content

The moisture content of biscuits should be consistently investigated on a continuous and regular manner. This ensures that the biscuits’ moisture content is maintained within the ideal range. The moisture content is usually expressed in terms of percentage where the biscuit weight after drying in an oven is subtracted from the initial weight of the biscuit and the difference expressed as a percentage (AOAC, 1994). When the moisture content is high or low meaning it deviates from the ideal range, then the biscuit quality is compromised and the necessary corrective measures should be deployed to mitigate further losses from continued production of low quality biscuits. The aim of this experiment is to ensure the biscuit moisture content is determined in a timely manner (AOAC, 1994).

Determination of biscuit hardness

In order to determine the hardness of biscuits the snap characteristics of brittle and hard biscuits are usually evaluated utilising a three-point bend assembly. This method is an effective indicator of bake profile because it determines whether a biscuit hardness deviates from the ideal range in order to know if it is very hard or soft. Determination of biscuit hardness is carried out using a three-point bend assembly where randomly selected biscuit samples are subjected to this testing method (AOAC, 1994). The biscuit is supported at two points followed by down movement of the travelling beam of this assembly at maximum speed thereby snapping the sample biscuit in order to create a single massive fracture (Pearson, 2006). The recorded break-point force determines how hard or soft a biscuit is making it an important biscuit quality control method. The aim of this experiment is to ensure produced biscuits are of high quality and suitable for selling.

Sensory evaluation of biscuits

This method involves the use of sensory means to evaluate the biscuit taste, aroma, flavour and texture. This is conducted on randomly selected biscuit samples that are evaluated for the above factors in order to make sure they are within the ideal ranges (Larmond, 2007). This is important because it is not only the manufactures’ quality control staff that can do it, but also consumers are able to easily do it (Larmond, 2007). Hence the main aim of this experiment is to improve the biscuit’s acceptability by consumers.

Determination of biscuit nutritional content

Various methods are used to conduct nutritional content analysis on randomly selected biscuits in order to ensure the actual nutritional content of those biscuits match with the nutritional content label on packaged biscuits. This is conducted on all nutrients indicated on the label (AOAC, 1994). The aim of this experiment is to ensure produced biscuits are of appropriate nutritional content.

Determination of biscuit weight

The weight of produced biscuits should be regularly checked on randomly selected biscuit samples using a properly calibrated weighing scale. This is usually done on a continuous and regular manner to make sure the right biscuit weight is maintained and it can be done on individual biscuits or packaged ones (Priestley, 1979). The aim of this experiment is to ensure underweight biscuits that are unsuitable for selling do not find their way to the markets and also overweight biscuits that may cause losses to the manufacturer are not produced.

Factors that show poor quality biscuit and unsuitable for sale

There are various factors that show biscuit has lost its quality and suitability for selling and they result from varied sources that are mostly attributed to the manufacture’s poor quality control management. The factors that show biscuit has lost its quality are usually determined either physically or through chemical means (Pearson, 2006). However, the overall aim of determining these factors is to make sure biscuits that are not suitable for selling are not released to the market for consumption by the general public. Such factors are poor taste, aroma, flavour or texture, high moisture content, very hard or soft biscuits, underweight biscuits and significant variations in the nutritional content of the biscuits.

Sensory evaluation of biscuits has been successfully used over a long period of time in determining factors indicative of poor quality biscuits that have become unsuitable for selling such as poor taste, aroma, flavour or texture (Larmond, 2007). When these factors deviate from the ideal or standard ranges, the general acceptability of the biscuits in the market is lost thereby making them unsuitable for selling. However, since these factors are usually determined through sensory evaluation of the biscuits, it becomes very easy for the consumers to know whenever they deviate from the ideal or standard requirement (Larmond, 2007). Hence, it becomes inevitable for all biscuit manufactures to strictly adhere to the ideal or standard ranges of these factors for improved appeal of the produced biscuits to consumers in various markets within their operational localities.

High moisture content is the other significant factor that shows biscuit has lost its quality and suitability for selling. This is mainly because when a biscuit has high moisture content, its shelf life is significantly reduced due to increased chances of spoilage making it unsuitable for selling. There are also very high chances of contamination whenever the biscuits are produced with high moisture content (Griswold, 2002). Hence for significant improvement of the biscuit quality and increased shelf life moisture content of biscuits should be maintained at the ideal or standard levels. Furthermore, a very hard or soft biscuit is another significant factor that shows biscuit has lost its quality and suitability for selling. This factor may be dependent on the moisture content of the biscuit, but not always since others aspects are also attributable to the hardness of a biscuit. When biscuits are either very hard or very soft, this leads to a substantial reduction in their general acceptability in the markets by consumers mainly because they have become unsuitable for selling (Wade and Staffor, 1998). Thus, it is usually recommendable for the biscuit hardness to be maintained within the ideal or standard range in order to ensure the biscuit quality is maintained high.

Additionally, a significant variation in the nutritional content of the biscuits is the other factor that shows biscuits have lost their quality and suitability for selling. This is mainly because whenever significant variations exist in the nutritional content of the biscuit, then the nutritional value of such biscuits is lost making them unsuitable for selling (Griswold, 2002). Significant variations in the biscuits’ nutritional value indicate that the desired nutrition value is not obtained by the end–users of such biscuits. Hence the variation between the labelled nutritional content and the actual nutritional content of the biscuit is an outright deceit of the consumers making such biscuits totally unsuitable for selling (Pearson, 2006). This creates the essence of ensuring appropriate nutritional content of the biscuits is maintained. Finally, underweight biscuits are an indication that produced biscuits are of poor quality and not suitable for selling (Priestley, 1979).

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is very important to always make sure that biscuits are subjected to various methods of testing to determine their quality in order to enable their enhanced suitability for selling in the markets as well as improving their overall acceptability by consumers.

References

AOAC (1994) Official method of Analysis. Association of official analytical Chemist, 13^th edition. Washington D.C.

Griswold, R.M. (2002) The experimental Study of foods. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, pp. 550-541.

Larmond, E. (2007) Laboratory methods for sensory evaluation of food. Publication No. 1637 Canada Department of Agriculture Ottawa.

Mcwilliam, M. (2008) Food fundamental, 3^rd edition. Los Angeles: California State University.

Pearson, D. (2006) The Chemical Analysis of Food, 7^th edition. New York, NY: Churchill Livingstone.

Priestley, J.R. (1979) Effect of Heating on Foodstuffs. National Food Research Institute Pretoria, South Africa. London: Applied Science Publishers Ltd.

Wade, T. and Staffor, R. (1998) The Chemical Analysis of Foods, 7^th edition. London: Churchill Livingstone.