GoodMills Innovation takes the spring out of stubborn dough with GOOD NatureRelax
Hamburg-based GoodMills Innovation has introduced GOOD NatureRelax™, a clean-label baking ingredient derived from stabilised wheat germ that addresses excessive dough elasticity in industrial and mechanical bakery processing.
Elasticity as a processing bottleneck
Excessive dough elasticity is a persistent disruptor in bakery production. Dough that shrinks back after rolling or stretching complicates shaping, increases rework and generates waste through variable piece weights and process interruptions. According to GoodMills Innovation, factors such as flour quality, added gluten, oxidising agents or oxidative enzymes, intensive kneading, and firm or cold doughs with short resting times can all exacerbate the problem. GOOD NatureRelax is formulated from 100 per cent stabilised, finely ground wheat germ to counter this without synthetic additives.
Glutathione and protease working in tandem
The ingredient’s activity relies on two components naturally present in wheat germ. Glutathione, a tripeptide with antioxidant properties, breaks down disulphide bonds within the gluten network and is consumed during the reaction. Protease, an enzyme, breaks down gluten protein chains to soften the dough but is not itself consumed. The two act synergistically to support gentle dough softening.
Raw material selection underpins the ingredient’s consistency. GoodMills Group monitors wheat germ quality and regional variation across all 24 of its mill sites, selecting the most suitable native germ for gentle stabilisation and further micronisation.
Processing outcomes and dosage
GoodMills Innovation reports that the effect is measurable on the production line: dough is gripped more cleanly by machinery, pieces retain their shape without tearing or misshaping, and kneading time can be shortened by up to 15 per cent, reducing waste and handling time.
GOOD NatureRelax is dosed at 0.1 to 1 per cent on top of milled grain products, with application-specific levels including 0.3 per cent for pretzels, 0.4 per cent for laminated doughs such as croissants, and 0.5 per cent for rolled wheat pastries. Further applications include baguettes, pizzas and tray bakes, with optimum dosage adjusted according to recipe and process parameters.
As a natural alternative to inactive yeast and cysteine, GOOD NatureRelax should not be combined with these ingredients, to avoid excessive dough softening.
GoodMills Innovation develops clean label ingredients from cereals and pulses for the food, bakery, snack and nutraceutical industries, and is part of the GoodMills Group, Europe’s largest milling group.
- For more information, visit: goodmillsinnovation.com
