Process for the preparation of high quality wheat bread capable of long term storage

A process for producing a high quality wheat bread with a long shelf-life, comprising the steps of:

• (a) preparing a bread leaven by combining wheat flour, yeast, water and a leavening initiator and ripening said leaven at a temperature of 30.degree.-32.degree. C. for 6 to 8 hours;
• (b) homogenizing a dry flour mixture of wheat flour and digested cornflake flour to form a homogeneous flake mixture, said digested corn flake flour prepared by subjecting corn kernels to a treatment with steam at 105.degree. C. for at least 10 minutes to allow penetration of the corn kernels by the steam to cause breakdown of the starch molecules in the corn kernels, followed by milling said product;
• (c) contacting said dry flour mixture homogenized in step (b) with an effective amount of the bread leaven formed in step (a), a yeast, water and salt to form a bread dough, said dough being formed by combining said leaven, the components of said flour mixture, said yeast, said salt and water in proportions such that said dough contains about 32 kg of the ripened leaven for 0.4 to 0.5 kg of yeast dispersed in 3.5 to 5 liters of water, 1.1 to 1.5 kg of salt in about 15 liters of water, 4 to 5.5 kg of wheat flour of grade BL 80, 25 to 29 kg of wheat flour of grade BL 55 and 1.5 to 2.24 kg of digested corn flakeflour;
• (d) kneading the dough;
• (e) resting said kneaded dough to permit water equalization therein;
• (f) portioning said dough;
• (g) allowing the portioned dough to rise for a period of 50 to 70 minutes;
• and
• (h) baking the portioned dough for a period of about 35 minutes at a temperature of about 250.degree. C.-280.degree. C.