Are bread improver and baking powder same?

No, bread improver and baking powder are not the same thing. They have different purposes and ingredients.

Here's a breakdown:

Bread Improver:

* Purpose: A blend of ingredients designed to improve the quality of bread, particularly its volume, texture, and crust.

* Ingredients: Typically contains a combination of:

* Enzymes: Break down starches, making the dough more pliable and easier to work with.

* Oxidizers: Strengthen the gluten, resulting in a higher rise and more stable dough.

* Emulsifiers: Improve the dough's texture and prevent it from becoming sticky.

* Other additives: Can include vitamins, minerals, and sometimes yeast food.

Baking Powder:

* Purpose: A chemical leavening agent that produces carbon dioxide gas during baking, which creates air pockets and makes cakes, biscuits, and other baked goods rise.

* Ingredients: Typically contains:

* Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda): The base that reacts with acid to produce gas.

* An acid: Usually tartaric acid or cream of tartar.

* A drying agent: Usually cornstarch, to prevent moisture from reacting with the other ingredients.

Key Differences:

* Function: Bread improver is meant to improve the quality of bread, while baking powder is used for leavening (making things rise).

* Ingredients: Bread improver has a complex mixture of ingredients, whereas baking powder is typically a simple combination of baking soda, an acid, and a drying agent.

* Use: Bread improver is used in breadmaking, while baking powder is used in a variety of baked goods, including cakes, muffins, cookies, and biscuits.

In short: You can't substitute one for the other because they serve very different purposes.