Bakery Industry - Processing & Hazard Identification
Bakery Industry in India: Growth and Potential
The bakery industry in India has witnessed significant growth due to rising demand for high-quality, nutritious, and additive-free products. As the second-largest producer of food globally, India has immense potential in the food processing sector.
Market Overview
- Bakery products such as bread and biscuits constitute over 82% of total production.
- The sector is categorized into bread, biscuits, and cake.
- Around 1.3 million tons of bakery products are produced annually.
- While large-scale food processing plants exist, many consumers prefer fresh products from local bakeries.
Emerging Trends
- Increasing demand for whole wheat, gluten-free, and organic bakery products.
- Consumers prefer healthy, natural, and additive-free options.
- Major brands like Britannia and Parle dominate, holding nearly 40% market share.
- The sector is expected to grow at a CAGR of 2% in the coming years.
Bread Processing: Step-by-Step Manufacturing
Bread production follows a systematic and controlled process to ensure consistency and quality. The major steps include:
2.1 Weighing
Ingredients are weighed as per standard formulation, ensuring accurate composition.
2.2 Mixing
- All dry and wet ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
- Salt is added last to prevent yeast deactivation.
2.3 Kneading
- Kneading helps develop the gluten network and traps carbon dioxide bubbles.
- It ensures dough elasticity and structure formation.
2.4 Primary Proofing
- Dough is kept at 27°C to allow yeast fermentation.
- Proofing results in doubling the dough size.
2.5 Folding & Rising
- Ensures uniform shape and gas distribution.
- Dough is divided into equal portions and folded to remove excess stickiness.
2.6 Shaping
- Dough is shaped into long rolls and placed in tins.
- This process ensures even air pocket distribution.
2.7 Final Proofing
- Dough is maintained at 34°C and 85% RH for optimal yeast activity.
- Ensures sufficient dough rise before baking.
2.8 Baking
- Baked at 200-260°C with steam injection to prevent crust hardening.
- Maillard reaction occurs, imparting a golden-brown color.
2.9 Spraying
- Water is sprayed on freshly baked loaves to enhance crust shine.
2.10 Cooling
- Loaves are cooled to below 30°C using filtered air to ensure microbial safety.
2.11 Packaging
- Bread is either sliced and packed or packaged as a whole.
- Hot packaging is avoided to prevent microbial contamination.
Hazard Identification in the Bakery Industry
3.1 Microbial Risks
- High moisture and temperature create an ideal environment for microbial growth.
- Proper hygienic food processing areas are crucial to prevent contamination.
3.2 Equipment Contamination
- Condensation in ventilation units can lead to fungal growth.
- Poorly designed equipment may cause product stagnation and microbial contamination.
3.3 Food Hazards & Adulteration
- Food hazards include biological, chemical, and physical contaminants.
- Unintentional contamination can occur during harvesting, processing, and transport.
3.4 HACCP in Food Processing
- HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is mandatory for food manufacturing consultants.
- No food factory or food processing plant can operate without HACCP compliance
Conclusion: Future of the Indian Bakery Industry
The Indian bakery industry is poised for sustained growth, benefiting both consumers and manufacturers.
- Consumers will enjoy a wider range of nutritious and innovative bakery products.
- Food industry consultants and food processing experts will play a crucial role in maintaining quality and safety.
- The industry will expand globally, overcoming challenges and leveraging modern food processing technology.
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PMG-C3
PDF
HACCP Plan Worksheet
A fill-in working set in the Codex sequence — scope and team, product description, the verified process step list, hazard analysis, CCP determination with critical limits, and the monitoring, corrective action and verification that hold them.
Download the HACCP Plan WorksheetReference material for planning use only. Verify every figure and clause against the governing standards and your own site conditions before acting on it — contact PMG Engineering for expert consultation on your project.
Frequently asked
What temperature and humidity should we hold for primary and final proofing of bread dough?
In bread processing, primary proofing is carried out at 27°C to allow yeast fermentation, and the dough typically doubles in size. Final proofing is maintained at 34°C and 85% RH for optimal yeast activity, ensuring the dough rises sufficiently before it enters the oven. Holding these conditions consistently is what gives repeatable loaf volume and structure.
Why is steam injected during baking, and what baking temperature is used for bread?
Bread is baked at 200-260°C with steam injection. The steam prevents the crust from hardening prematurely, while the Maillard reaction during baking imparts the characteristic golden-brown colour. After baking, water is sprayed on the freshly baked loaves to enhance crust shine, which is a separate step from the steam injection inside the oven.
At what point can we pack bread without risking spoilage?
Loaves must first be cooled to below 30°C using filtered air to ensure microbial safety. Only then should bread be sliced and packed or packaged whole. Hot packaging is avoided in bakery lines because trapped heat and moisture promote microbial contamination inside the pack, shortening shelf life regardless of how hygienic the upstream process was.
What are the main hazards we need to design out of a bakery plant?
Bakery hazards fall into three groups. Microbial risk, because high moisture and temperature create an ideal environment for growth, requiring hygienically designed processing areas. Equipment contamination, where condensation in ventilation units can cause fungal growth and poorly designed equipment causes product stagnation. And biological, chemical and physical contaminants, which can enter unintentionally during harvesting, processing and transport.
Is HACCP compulsory for a new bakery or biscuit plant in India?
Yes. HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is mandatory for food manufacturing, and no food factory or food processing plant can operate without HACCP compliance. For a bakery, this means hazard analysis and critical control points must be defined around the high-risk stages such as proofing, baking, cooling and packaging, where microbial and contamination risks concentrate.
How large is the Indian bakery market and which segments dominate?
Around 1.3 million tons of bakery products are produced annually in India, with bread and biscuits accounting for over 82% of total production. The sector is categorised into bread, biscuits and cake. Major brands such as Britannia and Parle hold nearly 40% market share, and the sector is expected to grow at a CAGR of 2% in the coming years.
CITE THIS
PMG Engineering. (2020). Bakery Industry - Processing & Hazard Identification. PMG Engineering. https://pmg.engineering/Article/53/bakery-industry-processing-hazard-identification/