What are the sources of sugar for yeast fermentation?
Aside from the sugar that is usually added to activate the yeast, wheat flour itself contains approximately 1-2% sugar. It also contains amylases, enzymes which are capable of hydrolyzing starch during fermentation into dextrins and maltose. Alph-amylase attacks both amylose and amylopectic at random points in their structure, in intact starch grains, but more so in damaged or gelatinized starch granules. The random fragments of starch granule which result are soluble starch and dextrins. There is also a small amount of glucose produced. The dextrins are then susceptible to attack by beta-amylase, which can only act on damaged starch grains. The dextrins are hydrolyzed very slowly and result in the production of maltose, which is fermentable by the yeast. However, the action of betaamylase is not random, making it less effective in providing food for the yeast. Betaamylase is normally found in sufficient quantities in flour, but the levels of the more desirable alpha-amylase are low an
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