Bread Preservatives

For leavened bread products, particularly in warmer environments, a mixture of Potassium Sorbate and other mold inhibitors are applied to the external surfaces of the bread to increases the shelf life. By inhibiting the growth of mold, the shelf live can be significantly extended without compromising either the taste and cosmetic appearance of the bread.

The Potassium Sorbate needs to be applied with an evenness and precision to ensure that the loaf is completely coated.

Preservatives are precision sprayed onto the bread as one of the last manufacturing processes the bread is subjected to after it exits the oven. Here, it is important to ensure that adjacent products do not mask or inhibit the application of the Potassium Sorbate spray.

Divergent conveyor belts or spreaders are used to increase the gap between the loaves until full spray coverage can be completed. A converging conveyor is often is used to return the loaves to their previous belt configuration.