Biscuits
Biscuits
has two words in it: Bis and Cuit, translated into “2 or 2 times” and “Cooked”.
So something we would expect more with toast (bread baked 2 times). However
biscuits are as dry as bread cooked twice, nowadays even dryer. Biscuits have a
long shelf life as their residual moisture is below 5% and the wateractivity
(or ERH – Equilibrium Relative Humidity) is even below 0,30. Why the 5%
residual moisture one could ask, as in many cases it is even as low as 2 or
3%...? This has to do with the fact that one of the frequently used leavening
agents is ammoniumbicarbonate, which has the tendency to dissolve in 2 gasses
(CO2 and NH4). Ammoniumgas can still be in the product when residual moisture
is 6% or higher and that is very frequently judged as a negative by many
consumers. As Ammoniumbicarbonate can facilate the formation of Acrylamide and
can contribute to Nitrogen increase (which has a negative impact on the
environment) it is being replaced frequently