All that says is that it's a "combination of ingredients that improve" the bread. What I want to know is what those ingredients are. If I don't know what's in my bread, I may as well be using a packet mix. I want to know the raw ingredients. It's the same curiosity and desire for control that makes me do all-grain beer.
Does anyone know what is actually in "bread improver"?
Bread Improvers and their Functions in Bread Dough
The word improver could describe any process or ingredient that improves or enhances the quality of a baked loaf. In Australia, however, it usually refers to one specific ingredient. It is a blend of many compounds that have a specific effect on the final loaf quality or the processing of bread doughs. Bread improvers are usually, although not always, built on a Soya flour base or carrier. See below for a list of the most widely used bread improver bases;
Soya flour
wheat flour
Soya and wheat flour blend
diastatic malt flour
This carrier ingredient is blended with various micro-ingredients. The main function of the carrier is to allow the baker to weigh up a mixture of micro-ingredients in a practical and economical way, as the levels required are so small ( e.g. 30 parts ascorbic acid per one million parts flour) that the baker would not be able to weigh them with sufficient accuracy. However, it is these micro-ingredients that carry out the improving effects. These effects include:
gluten modification
yeast stimulation
enzyme supplementation
(In some types of improvers) crumb softening.
The levels of micro ingredients vary from improver to improver. There are two main types of improver. They are:
standard improvers
instant improvers
Standard improvers are used for bulk fermented doughs, doughs with long dough-to-oven times (DTO). Instant improvers are used for rapid doughs, doughs with short DTO times.
In todays rapid-dough systems, bread improvers affect the changes and modifications that occur in bulk fermented doughs without the long fermentation times being necessary. Today there are many bread improvers on the market, and many have a specific formulation. The blend of micro-ingredients in bread improvers is based on specific flour types and specific processing needs.
It is important to use the right improver for the flour type and process you are using and for the type of bread you are making. Be sure of the suitability of the improver. Be sure of the suitability of the improver you are using by contacting the manufacturer for technical specifications etc.
Main functions of bread improvers
Bread improvers have three main functions. They are:
1 conditioning the gluten
2 providing yeast with nitrogen source
3 enhancement of diastatic enzyme activity
1 Gluten Conditioning
In Section 2 Gluten development we dealt with gluten modification through the two processes called oxidation and reduction. These two processes are highly influenced by the compounds contained in bread improvers. These compounds are as follows:
ascorbic acid (oxidising agent) gluten strengthening
sodium meta-bisulphite (reducing agent) gluten softening
L-cystine (hydrochloride)
Notes
In order to retain the gas produced by the yeast in the dough, and to achieve good volume and a tender crumb in the final loaf, it is necessary to change or modify some gluten characteristics. Underdeveloped gluten in the dough at the commencement of mixing requires reduction (breaking of the cross bonds) to allow the gluten protein strands to be teased out and realigned. This process is achieved by the use of mechanical energy (mixing) and reducing agents. Reducing agents break the cross bonds, allowing the gluten strands to be untangled. This process imparts a measure of elasticity to the gluten protein and allows it to extend. Reducing agents are present in some types of bread improvers designed for dough overstable flours.
The ability of gluten protein to withstand the stress of the expanding gas and to retain it is enhanced by the formation of cross bonds (sulphur bridges). These cross bonds result in gluten strength gluten with an improved gas retaining ability. Cross bonds are encouraged by the presence of an oxidising agent. All bread improvers contain the oxidising agent ascorbic acid (Vitamin c).
2 Nitrogen source for yeast
The yeast cell requires nitrogen to synthesise proteins for new cell growth. Bread improvers provide a source of nitrogen for the yeast cell in the form of the mineral salt:
ammonium chloride or
ammonium sulphate
These compounds are readily absorbed by the yeast cell and energise yeast reproduction and zymase enzyme activity. The net effect is enhanced gas production.
3 Enhancement of diastatic enzyme activity
Bread improvers contain enzyme rich malt flour or fungal enzymes. Fungal enzymes are derived from specific fungi that naturally grow on wheat grain. These enzymes are from the amylase group which are always present in the flour and are responsible for the conversation of starch into maltose sugars. When the yeast is stimulated an additional supply of sugar is required. As the can sugar added by the baker and the limited amount present in the flour is not sufficient for the rapid dough method. This deficiency needs to be overcome in order to ensure there is sufficient sugar present to maintain steady yeast activity in the final proving and the initial backing stage.
Bread improver ensures this additional supply of sugar is provided by the amylase enzyme activity (diastatic activity). Diastatic activity is the conversion of starch (a polysaccharide) to dextrins by the enzyme alpha amylase. Dextrins are also polysaccharides but somewhat smaller. They are often referred to as long chain sugars. Dextrins are further broken down or converted to maltose (a disaccharide) by the enzyme beta amylase. Although flour contains both alpha and beta amylase enzymes, it is often deficient in alpha amylase enzymes.
Additional Functions
Today most improvers contain crumb softening agents, anti-firming agents or emulsifiers. These crumb softeners and anti-firming agents include
mono and diglycerides of fatty forming acids
diacetyl tartaric esters of mono and diglycerides of fatty forming acids
sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL0
calcium stearoyl lactylate (CSL)
lecithin polysorbates
sorbitans
I just know its great stuff 
