3 replies to this topic

[Martinblue]

Hi All,



I have recently encountered problem with our loaf carrot cakes.

Here is brief flow:

• Ingredients are mixed
• Baking
• Cool down at room temperature
• Cakes are then iced
• Freezing of cakes to make harder (It helps in slicing of cakes, as softer cakes are difficult to handle and slice).
• Refreezing after slicing and packing
• Despatch (frozen)
• Customer then defrost and use.

Recently we have complaint that our cakes are falling apart. Is it due to the issue cakes are being defrosted at room temperature instead of chilled temperature or there may be any other issue?



Please share your thought and expertise.

Regards

Martin Blue

[GMO]

I don't have industrial cake experience only domestic but cakes falling apart would normally mean not enough egg is in there. Are you using pasteurised whole egg and weighing out for your mixes?

To test your hypothesis about the freezing, I'd trial it yourself. If you don't keep retained samples from batches, I'd start to do so but also do some trials on unfrozen cake, sliced unfrozen cake, frozen and defrosted in chiller cake and frozen and defrosted at room temperature. I'd also like to see or see photographs of the cake they say is falling apart so you know what you're looking for.

Also it's probably worth auditing your process. For example; is 'room temperature' currently 30 degrees C rather than 18 as it might be in winter? Is that having an effect? Are people handling roughly? Etc.

[Dr Ajay Shah]

1. One will need to start by asking if you have changed suppliers for any of your ingredients and any changes to your current procedures.
2. You will need to test your hypothesis about freezing against chilled cakes and see if there is a definite difference.

As GMO mentions that you will need to check on the retention samples too for the cakes from that same batch.

It is important to ask for photographic evidence from the customer and also ask them how they have hnadleds the product.

Cheers

[jonboy47]

I agree with the above, and would note from experience that purchasing sometimes will source ingredients from a different supplier, or of a different type, for financial reasons - so you need to make sure all the ingredients are the same. This includes in particular the egg, as GMO noted, as well as the flour - as there are many different types and it is my understanding that flour is critical to texture and function in baked goods. Also, it's very possible that one of your suppliers may have somehow changed their process or sourcing, or there may be a difference in the crop for some other reason such as weather. This is where your ingredient specifications come into the equation, if you have them - are they adequate?



Just my 2 cents.