Question

How does the process of fermentation help bread rise?

Answer 1

During the fermentation process in bread making, yeast metabolizes sugars to produce ethanol and carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide causes the bread to rise by creating gas bubbles within the dough, leading to a light and fluffy texture once baked.

Step-by-step explanation:

The process of fermentation helps bread rise due to the action of yeast, a type of fungus, on the sugars present in the dough. When yeast metabolizes these sugars in an anaerobic environment (without oxygen), it undergoes alcoholic fermentation. This fermentation results in the production of ethanol and carbon dioxide (CO2). The CO2 is what causes the dough to rise, as the gas forms bubbles within the dough, expanding it and giving bread its light and fluffy texture.

The balanced chemical reaction for the fermentation of glucose during this process is:

C6H12O6 → 2C2H5OH + 2CO2

Glucose is converted into ethanol and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide gas gets trapped in the matrix of hydrated starch and protein molecules in the dough, which leads to the formation of small holes that we see in bread, contributing to its texture.

Answer 2

The carbon dioxide produced in these reactions causes the dough to rise (ferment or prove), and the alcohol produced mostly evaporates from the dough during the baking process. During fermentation each yeast cell forms a centre around which carbon dioxide bubbles form.