Rock phosphate, food grade?
I'm probably going to add a little food grade gypsum, as a mineral yeast food, to a bread formula I'm thinking about making. I'm thinking also of phosphorous in the sense that yeasts like that as well.
"Yeast requires water, carbon sources such as starch and simple carbohydrates, nitrogen preferably as ammonium as it cannot assimilate nitrate, sulfur, phosphorus (often as inorganic phosphate), and minute quantities of vitamins and elemental mineral ions including B, Ca, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mo, Mn, Mg, Ni, and Zn.[10]
Oh wow, that's a long list of required minerals! Ideally, I'd want food-grade rock phosphate, rather than some of the fancier chemicals, but searching didn't result in any quick results, nothing that is specifically labeled as food grade. Powdered rock phosphate is widely available for agricultural use.
This says rock phosphate is used for livestock feed. Evidently there is a food grade available, or at least one that is considered safe for animals to consume. Perhaps it is not labeled as "food grade"?
I just thought I'd ask to see if anyone knew anything about food-grade rock phosphate.
Would you want to put gypsum in your bread?
For that matter, why would you even want to put gypsum in your mouth?
You can't be serious.
I assure you, I'm completely serious. However, I'm also in a thinking about it stage.
Edit: I have put gypsum in my mouth, it's an ingredient in my India Pale Ale formula. It's also a label-listed ingredient in one brand of commercially-manufactured deli rye. The information I've read over the years about it in specific regards to baking is that it reduces stickiness of dough, however it's also clear there are other uses, such as nutrition for yeast as excerpted in the original post, as well as a source of dietary calcium.
Calcium phosphate may be preferable as a phosphate source. It's a common ingredient in baking powders.
requires whole flour.
The bread I'm considering would only have a small percentage of wholemeal, it would be mostly white flour.
Not sure about phosphate, but a small amount of calcium is considered good for gluten develpment. I think about 70ppm in the water is considered good.
Often this is present in tap water, but may not be if the water is soft. Calcium might be best added as calcium carbonate 175ppm) rather than calcium sulphate (gypsum) because gypsum isn't very soluble unless the water is hot.
Coincidentally, and possibly usefully for those like me who live in soft water areas, in the UK it is a legal requirement that all flour (other than wholewheat) is fortified with calcium carbonate at approx 3g/1kg of flour as well as B vitamins.
Lance
I saved your post for future reference. Thanks!
It is true, even finely powdered gypsum is difficult to dissolve in a lot of cool water. I use RO water for most of my baking, it is very low mineral content and is quite soft.