The role of sodium lactate in flour products
That was last summer. I first tried to make Mantou with old noodles. To be honest, I used to think that the Mantou and steamed stuffed buns bought from outside were almost the same. Until that day, my mother said that she wanted me to make some Mantou with sweet taste for her. Following the recipe I found online, I weighed flour, yeast, and white sugar, mixed warm water with the dough, and kneaded it for a while until the dough finally formed. Then I put it in a basin and let it rise. When I went to see it in the afternoon, the dough not only didn't rise, but collapsed into a pool. The steamed Mantou made me even more sad - the skin was as hard as cardboard, the pores inside were as big as honeycombs, and the bite was full of dry flour residue. My mother tasted it, put down the bowl and said, "Forget it, it's better to buy it soft outside."
At that time, I knew that sodium lactate had so many tricks in flour products. Later, I was unwilling to accept it and learned from an aunt who made noodles. She told me, "When making noodle products, the 'softness and hardness' and' water retention ability 'of the dough are the key. Many people fail because they haven't done these two things well, and sodium lactate can be of great help." At that time, I was still half believing and half doubting, thinking that a small additive could really be so magical? With a trial mentality, I bought a small package of food grade sodium lactate powder and started the 'second experiment'.
First, let's talk about the core function of sodium lactate: it locks in moisture and makes the dough more "moist". I remember the first time I made it with sodium lactate, I deliberately added 2 grams of sodium lactate to every 500 grams of flour according to my aunt's instructions, mixed it with yeast and sugar into the flour. When kneading dough, I clearly feel that the dough is softer than before, not as stiff or sticky as before. After waking up for more than an hour, the dough really swelled up. Pressing it down with your fingers can slowly rebound. The steamed Mantou skin is soft, and you can feel the elasticity when you hold it in your hand. It is not as hard as before. Later on, I tried making buns again. Previously, I was worried that the moisture in the filling would make the dough thin. However, this time, I added sodium lactate, which made the dough more "stable". The buns that were wrapped did not collapse even after waking up, and the steamed buns had a faint luster on the skin. When I bit open the buns, the filling and soup inside were still locked in, preventing them from falling apart due to excessive water absorption. In fact, this is based on the "water retention" principle of sodium lactate - it can reduce the water activity (aw value) of the dough. Simply put, it makes the moisture in the dough more "stable", less likely to evaporate, and less likely to be "taken away" by the protein in the flour. Therefore, when kneading the dough, it can better maintain moisture, and during the awakening and steaming process, it will not harden or collapse due to rapid loss of moisture. I also specially observed that the Mantou made with sodium lactate will not be as dry and hard as before after cooling. The next morning, I sliced the Mantou and smeared it with jam. It tastes soft and pliable. It doesn't have to be soaked with milk before swallowing.
Speaking of its improvement on "texture", it makes noodle products more "elastic" and "tough". I used to have a headache when making noodles. Either the noodles would spoil as soon as they were cooked, or even though they didn't spoil after cooking, they tasted like chewing rubber bands and had little texture. Later on, I tried adding 3 grams of sodium lactate to the dough. That time, I chose high gluten flour and wanted to make hand rolled noodles. When kneading dough, sodium lactate makes the dough more "strong", resulting in evenly thin and thick noodles that are rolled out, distinct noodles that are cut into pieces, and less cloudy soup when cooked in the pot. After the noodles were pulled out, they were very smooth and smooth. When they were picked up, they felt a Q bounce and didn't break as quickly as before. The child even ate a large bowl of noodles with his chopsticks and asked me, "Mom, why is today's noodles so delicious? They are smoother than those bought in the supermarket!" This is because sodium lactate can make the proteins in the flour (such as gluten protein) more "stretch" and form a more compact and flexible gluten network. Therefore, noodles and Mantou are not easy to deform when they are cooked, steamed, or baked, and they are chewy when they are eaten. I tried to make Steamed rolls again later. Steamed rolls without sodium lactate would be slightly sticky at the bottom after steaming, and the rolled lines would collapse into a round ball; After adding sodium lactate, the Steamed rolls rolls more neatly.

After steaming, there is a small gap between the bottom and the plate, which can be easily picked up. When you break it, you can see that the layers inside are also very clear, layer by layer, not glued together as before.
There is another effect that many people may not have noticed: extending the shelf life and allowing noodles to be stored for a longer period of time. I used to think it was troublesome to make noodles myself. I only made one meal each time, afraid of wasting it if I couldn't finish it. But since using sodium lactate, I dare to make more at once because it can help the dough "lock in freshness". For example, I made 10 meatballs over the weekend, stored them in the refrigerator if I couldn't finish them, and took them out to steam the next morning. Although they were cold, they were still soft and tender; If it's left for three days, my mom will take it out and microwave it, and it can still restore the soft and elastic texture just steamed. Once I even wanted to try freezing the buns. After a week, I took them out and steamed them, but they were not much different from what I had just made. It was just a bit cool, and even after heating, I could still taste the wheat aroma and the light milk flavor brought by sodium lactate. Unlike the buns that had been frozen before, which were hard like stones when heated and had a hint of ice cream flavor. This is because sodium lactate can inhibit the growth of microorganisms and maintain the moisture in the dough, thus delaying the aging of noodle products. Generally speaking, noodles will undergo "retrogradation" after being stored for a long time, which means that starch molecules will rearrange, resulting in a harder texture. Sodium lactate can slow down this retrogradation process by adjusting the pH and moisture state of the dough, allowing noodles to maintain their softness for a longer period of time under normal temperature or refrigeration conditions. I also specifically checked and found that the amount of food grade sodium lactate added to flour products is generally% -1% (based on the weight of flour), which does not impose too much burden on the shelf life. Moreover, it is a natural metabolite (our body also produces lactic acid), and after metabolism, it becomes lactic acid and sodium, which is not harmful to the human body. This makes me feel more at ease.
Lastly, it enhances the "flavor" and makes noodle products more "layered". In the past, when I made Mantou and steamed stuffed buns, I always thought they were tasteless. They were either bland or had to add sugar, milk and stuffing to make them taste better. But after adding sodium lactate, I could make the wheat flavor of flour products more prominent without adding too much extra things. Once I tried to make sugar free whole wheat Mantou without any sweetener. I only added 2g of sodium lactate when mixing noodles. After steaming, I broke it and smelled it. I could smell a faint fragrance of whole wheat and a soft sour taste of lactic acid. It didn't smell like the whole wheat Mantou before. The child even volunteered to say, "Mom, this Mantou has no sweet taste, but it tastes sweet in the mouth. What is it?" This is because the pH value of sodium lactate is between, which is weak acidic, and can stimulate the flavor of amino acids (such as glutamic acid) in the flour, so that the pastry tastes good. More abundant, with wheat fragrance and light frankincense, it will not be monotonous. I later used it to make alkaline bread again. Although I didn't add alkaline water, after adding sodium lactate, the surface of the bread was crispy, but the inside was very soft. You could taste the wheat aroma and the slight acidity brought by lactic acid when you bit it, which was even better than some alkaline bread sold outside. My husband ate two of them and asked me if he had added any secret.
Now my family can hardly make pasta without sodium lactate. From Mantou and steamed stuffed buns once a week to occasionally making hand rolled noodles, Cong you bing, and even dumplings, I will add some. It's like an 'invisible assistant', which helps me avoid many 'hard, sticky, and prone to collapse' pitfalls and makes my family eat happier. Have friends who are just starting to learn how to make noodles ever encountered this situation? For example, when kneading the dough until it crumbles, the steamed bun looks like a stone, or the noodles made will rot? Actually, sometimes it's not because of your poor kneading skills or the quality of the flour (I use ordinary household flour), it may just be that there is a little less' sodium lactate '. It's interesting to say that the first time I bought sodium lactate was when I searched for the keyword "noodle products retain water" online. At that time, I was worried about the words "food additives" on the packaging, so I specifically checked the ingredient list and found that its main ingredient is sodium lactate, which is a natural fermentation product and not a synthetic chemical additive. That's when I finally felt relieved. Now I will also share this tip with my friends around me. Some people are skeptical. After trying it, they come back to me and say, "Really! The Steamed rolls I made yesterday can still be eaten after two days. It's amazing!"; Like a 'structural engineer', making the gluten network more elastic; Like a 'freshness guard', extending the 'lifespan' of noodle products; It also acts as a 'flavor catalyst', making the wheat aroma more prominent. If you, like me, enjoy making noodles by yourself and are always troubled by issues such as dryness, hardness, and collapse, why not try adding a little sodium lactate when making noodles? Maybe it can unlock a "zero failure" noodle experience for you?