What makes bread rise in bakery?

Bread rises due to the action of yeast, a single-celled fungus, which produces carbon dioxide as a byproduct of its metabolic process. Here's a breakdown:

1. The Yeast's Role:

* Yeast eats sugar: Yeast consumes sugars present in the flour, either naturally occurring or added.

* Yeast produces CO2 and alcohol: During this process, yeast produces carbon dioxide gas and alcohol as byproducts.

* CO2 gets trapped: The dough's gluten network (formed from proteins in flour) acts like a trap, holding the carbon dioxide bubbles.

2. The Gluten Network:

* Gluten: Gluten is a protein complex formed when flour is mixed with water. It creates a stretchy and elastic network that traps the CO2 bubbles.

* Elasticity: The gluten network's elasticity allows it to stretch as the CO2 bubbles expand, giving the dough volume.

* Structure: This network also provides structure to the bread, preventing it from collapsing.

3. The Baking Process:

* Heat activation: Baking activates the yeast, allowing it to produce more CO2.

* Expanding bubbles: The heat causes the trapped CO2 to expand even further, resulting in significant dough expansion.

* Setting the structure: As the bread bakes, the heat cooks the yeast and sets the gluten network, preserving the risen shape.

In summary:

The rising of bread is a fascinating interplay between biology (yeast fermentation) and chemistry (gluten formation). The yeast produces CO2, the gluten network traps it, and the heat of baking expands the bubbles and sets the structure, giving us the fluffy, delicious bread we know and love.