Better Dough, Better Bread
Dough improvers help bakers address inescapable issues that derive from supply chain interruptions, reformulations for allergen-free products, and the need for a longer shelf life. Improvers – also called conditioners – help with better volume, faster fermentation and better crumb and ensure consistent output even when the flour or the eggs are inconsistent.
Dough improvers are ingredient blends formulated to optimize the quality and performance of bread dough. Used widely in both industrial and artisanal baking, they help ensure consistent results by enhancing dough properties, supporting fermentation, and improving final product characteristics such as volume, texture, and shelf life.
But dough improvers are more than just leavening aids. They contribute to several key aspects of dough development and bread quality. They enhance elasticity by making dough easier to stretch, shape, and handle during production. They support fermentation by feeding and stabilizing yeast activity, accelerating fermentation and improving gas retention. They strengthen the gluten network, which results in a more uniform crumb structure and better oven spring. They improve texture and softness and help finished loaves be lighter, airier, and more appealing to consumers. Last, but not least, they extend the shelf life by slowing down staling and maintaining freshness for longer.
Dough improvers can be divided into natural and commercial categories, depending on the ingredients used and their intended scale of use. Natural improvers are single ingredients or simple combinations that enhance dough performance without synthetic additives. Common examples include: ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), which acts as an oxidising agent to strengthen gluten, vinegar, which helps tighten the dough and improve shelf life, honey or malt, which provides natural sugars to boost fermentation.
Commercial improvers are professionally formulated blends used in larger-scale or high-speed baking environments. They typically contain a combination of enzymes (to modify starches and proteins for better dough handling and volume), and emulsifiers (such as lecithin or DATEM, to improve dough stability and softness), oxidising and reducing agents (to fine-tune gluten strength and dough extensibility).
Corbion’s Origin Range, a Gamechanger
One of the most reputed producers of improvers, Corbion, recently launched a range designed to meet the EMEA’s evolving preferences for more natural ingredient solutions. Origin, a plant-based dough improver, is derived from sustainably sourced acerola cherry, a fruit naturally high in vitamin C. “This vitamin acts as a dough conditioner, helping to strengthen the gluten network through oxidation”, says Dieneke van Houwelingen, Business Development Manager EMEA, Corbion. “The result is improved dough elasticity and structure — key attributes for achieving better volume, texture, and overall quality in baked goods.”
By strengthening the gluten network, these natural improvers enable excellent gas retention — so dough can hold onto the gases produced by yeast more effectively, resulting in lighter, fluffier breads with a more even crumb structure. Bakers also benefit from reduced dough relaxation, which helps maintain volume and quality throughout processing. “On top of that, Origin ingredients can improve dough handling, reduce stickiness, and boost machinability — making life easier in busy production environments”, says van Houwelingen.
Everything Corbion develops is guided by three core principles: working in harmony with natural fermentation, supporting more responsible consumption and production, and delivering consistent results that bakers can rely on. “Our goal is simple: preserve what matters,” says van Houwelingen. “We’re committed to helping bakers balance outstanding product quality with sustainability and consumer trust.”
Because reformulating can bring its own set of challenges, switching to nature-based solutions shouldn’t come with performance risks, says the company. “Our experts work side by side with bakers, providing practical support from pilot testing to process optimization,” says van Houwelingen. “We help troubleshoot, refine recipes, and run shelf-life and sensory tests to ensure the end product meets expectations batch after batch. Our collaborative approach means bakers can adapt with confidence, knowing they have a team behind them every step of the way.”